Writing on the wall for politicians

Time and again it has been proved that governments do not respect the verdicts pronounced by higher courts. The political parties in power and their leaders make it a point to see that all laws are flouted and all systems get spoiled.

And they do it with utmost arrogance as if their actions cannot be questioned by anybody. Against this backdrop, the rulings of the SC as well as the Hyderabad High Court that have gone in detail on defacing and dirtying the civic environs with statues, buntings, banners and flexies are highly laudable.

Each time some vigilant citizen has had to knock the doors of the judiciary regarding the ill doings of the governments and politicians to get a reprieve.

While this is not a welcome feature, it has become an absolute necessity in our country due to the continuous failure of governments.

The hardline view taken by the SC and the Hyderabad HC against rampant installation of statues, massive cut-outs and banners, flexies and photos of political leaders and celebrities on busy roads, has created hope among the people.

Both courts have rightly addressed a common hazard in all Indian cities. In January 2013, the SC in the K.R. Pradeep Kumar versus Kerala case had pointed out that “public road is not anyone’s property.

Every citizen has a right to use the road and that right cannot be interfered with by constructing a temple, mosque, church or gurudwara or by installing the statue of a public figure”.

It is an undisputed fact that the construction of temples, mosques, churches and gurudwara on public places abutting roads significantly restrict the movement of vehicles leading to long traffic snarls, and Installation of statues further narrows the road leading to accidents.

The SC has been expressing its concern at this rampant practice prevailing in cities across the country from time to time. In 2009 September the SC had pointed out that construction of shrines on public or private land was disguised land grabbing.

The orders of both the constitutional courts will surely empower municipal and government bodies to prevent unauthorised installations and constructions being carried out by the political parties and also vested interests under the garb of religious structures.

Political leaders have the right to highlight their achievements but that be done without obstructing public roads. While doing so they have to keep in mind that every action of theirs must be guided by public interest.