People’s march on Ambedkar Jayanti to protest attacks on the judiciary

'Mission Save Constitution' has called for a people's march on April 14, Dr B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary, to protest against the recent attacks on the judiciary.

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Meanwhile, 'Mission Save Constitution', an organisation that professes to "[aim] to protect and uphold the Indian Constitution", called for a People's March "to show solidarity of people of India with the Indian Judiciary and against the onslaught on its independence by government functionaries" on April 14.

As per a letter dated March 30, written by advocate Mehmood Pracha, Convenor of Mission Save Constitution, the judiciary is facing "an unprecedented onslaught", as cabinet ministers are openly threatening, intimidating and browbeating sitting and retired judges (in a thinly-veiled reference to the recent hostile statements of Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju about the higher judiciary). As per the letter, "[a]ny pressure, intimidation or insinuations, or even the suggestion thereof especially from the persons holding constitutional and statutory positions, strikes at the root of independence of the judiciary."

In order to symbolically stand up for judicial independence, the letter states that Mission Save Constitution is organising a peaceful march consisting of lawyers, doctors, social workers, engineers, religious leaders and academics on Ambedkar Jayanti at 4 p.m., starting from Patiala House Court's Gate No. 6 and end at Gate D of the Supreme Court.

Ambedkar Jayanti was chosen for the march, the letter explains, because of the day's "deep significance for the saving and strengthening of the Constitution of India and nation itself." Thus, it reasons that it is the most appropriate day for "saving India from such forces that are trying to destroy the independence of our judiciary and threatening the judiciary and the Constitution openly".

Pracha spoke with The Leaflet and said, "Since  the present government is deliberately acting in criminal manner, strong public presence in the form of peaceful protests on the streets is required." Pracha emphasised that it is important to send the message to the ruling government that the people of India will not tolerate the attack on its basic structure of democracy, including the judicial system. The peaceful protests are meant to show the solidarity of the masses with the independence of the judiciary, he added. 

On the day of the protest fixed at April 14, Pracha remarked that since the day marks the birth anniversary of the Father of the Indian Constitution, who gave us the concepts of Constitution and the Supreme Court, there can no other day more appropriate than April 14 to raise our voices to save the constitutional institution. 

Pracha rejected claims of conflict of holding peaceful protests on April 14, which is requested to declared a holiday for the Supreme Court. "Peaceful protests and a holiday on the same day can go hand in hand," he opined