A “fascist attack” on the “peaceful people” of Delhi during US President Donald Trump’s visit shows that “democracy is under threat” in India, a retired Supreme Court judge said on Tuesday.

Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly addressed a news conference on the recent violence in Delhi, organised by the Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity, at a Maidan club on Tuesday. From the “most essential feature” of the Constitution to the “tremendous speed” at which the government moved to transfer a judge, Justice Ganguly reacted to a range of issues.

Time of attack

What does Delhi stand for in the international world? Delhi is the capital of the democratic country that takes pride in calling itself the largest democracy in the world…. It (Delhi violence) was a fascist attack on the peaceful people of Delhi, which is the capital of the largest democracy in the world. And it happened when? When the President of the oldest democracy (the US) was on an official tour. Democracy is under threat and I am very happy to hear that not the police, not the court, but the restoration of democracy has been done at the instance of common people. They have stood against the fascist attack.

Threat

In most of India’s neighbouring countries, with the exception of Bangladesh, democracy has failed. In the midst of such surrounding catastrophe, Indian democracy has survived for seven decades. But the threat to Indian democracy has struck with a particular party coming to power for the second time with a large majority…. This party has come to power by paying allegiance to the Constitution, it has taken oath to uphold and abide by the Constitution.

Three words

What is our Constitution all about? If anyone would ask me to describe the Constitution in three words, I would say ‘democracy, socialism and secularism’. These three (features) are combined. They do not stand in isolation. You cannot have democracy if your country is not secular. Nor can you have socialism if your country is not democratic.

These three (features), they virtually spring from the same well…. Secularism is the most essential feature. The Supreme Court has said that… secularism is the soul of the Constitution.

Tremendous speed

A conscientious judge of the high court held court at midnight to ask the police what steps have you taken against people who are openly threatening to shoot people. That judge was under order of transfer. The state machinery moved with tremendous speed. The President of India had to sign his transfer… at the dead of night…. I am not saying anything against the transfer of the judge. But the speed with which it is executed is exemplary. Let the government show the same speed in dealing with those who are miscreants. Have FIRs been lodged against those people?

Silence

A law was made and the home minister was very vocal about the law. He said the law will be implemented and ‘we shall find each and every intruder’…. The honourable home minister is observing total silence. What is his answer? What was his police doing? Why people will have to go to court for arresting these people who were asking people to shoot? Why police will not arrest them immediately?