Deficit in democracy; Constitution under challenge: Opposition's VP pick B Sudershan Reddy

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) Opposition vice presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy on Saturday said there is a "deficit in democracy" in the country and the Constitution is "under challenge" as he pledged to defend and protect it.

In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with PTI, Reddy dwelt on a range of issues -- from how his candidature came about, the debate on the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble to the Constitution and to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's accusation that he supported Naxalism.

Calling himself a liberal constitutional democrat, the Opposition's nominee for the vice presidential election said he does not subscribe to the RSS ideology and he is far away from it.

He said disruptions in Parliament were essential in a democracy, but cautioned that they must not become an integral part of the democratic process.

Reddy also sought to downplay the debate on the vice presidential election emerging as a "South versus South" contest, saying both he and NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan were citizens of one country but lamented that the country's "polity stands fractured", leading to this contest.

He talked about bringing back all black money stashed abroad, asserting that the nation's wealth must come back and said it was "work still in progress".

The former Supreme Court judge said earlier there was a talk of "deficit economy", but now there is a "deficit in democracy", and claimed that though India continues to be a constitutional democracy, it is "under strain".

He, however, welcomed the debate on whether the Constitution is under attack.

Reddy said democracy is less about a clash between individuals and more about a clash between ideas, and wished ties between the government and the Opposition were better.

A former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court, the Opposition's vice presidential nominee said his "journey of upholding the Constitution continues, ultimately culminating in, if given an opportunity, to protect and defend the Constitution".

"All through my life, I was upholding the Constitution. If you give me an opportunity to serve this country, I will try to defend and protect the Constitution of India, which undoubtedly is coming under challenge. The message is, there is still the possibility of a reasonably good and healthy debate amongst ourselves in this country," he said.

Reddy said he upheld the Constitution primarily as a judge in the past. "So, this journey is nothing new to me," he said.

His unanimous candidature by the Opposition was a matter of honour for him, he said.

"First, it represents diversity. Secondly, the unanimous choice. Thirdly, in terms of voting strength, if you make an analysis, they represent more than 63-64 per cent of the population. What else could be an honour," he said.

On the argument that top constitutional posts should be filled by consensus reflecting national unity, he said, "I wish there could have been a consensus. But you know, the polity as it stands is a fractured one. In the circumstances, perhaps it is inevitable, leading to this contest." Reddy talked stressed that democracy in India is under strain.

"Earlier, we used to talk about a deficit economy, (now) there is a deficit in democracy. I do not say that India is no longer a democratic country. I don't subscribe to that. We still continue to be a constitutional democracy, but under strain," he said.

Explaining his point, he noted that earlier, the treasury and opposition benches used to coordinate on many national issues. "Unfortunately, we don't find that today," he said.

The VP election is not a contest between him and Radhakrishnan, but a contest representing "two different ideologies".

"... Here is a person, a quintessential RSS man... So far as I am concerned, I do not subscribe to that ideology and I am far, far, far, far away from it. I am essentially a liberal constitutional democrat. This is the area or rather the arena for the contest where the fight goes on," he said.

Reddy also talked about the disruption of Parliament's business. Both Houses of Parliament witnessed an extraordinary ruckus for a major part of the recently finished Monsoon session.

He quoted former BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who said "disruption also is a legitimate political activity and a parliamentary practice" to champion disruption as a form of dissent.

"Disruption is nothing but one form of dissent. If you are not allowed to speak or express your views, this is one form of speaking. That's how I look at the disruption. Not that I wish that disruption should become an essential and an integral part of democratic process," Reddy said.

On Amit Shah's attack on him over the Salwa Judum verdict, Reddy said, "I do not wish to join an issue directly with the Honourable Home Minister of India, whose constitutional duty and obligation is to protect the life, liberty and property of every citizen, irrespective of ideological differences. Secondly, I have authored the judgment. The judgment is not mine, the judgment is of the Supreme Court." In December 2011, Reddy, as a judge of the Supreme Court, ruled that using tribal youths as Special Police Officers -- whether called 'Koya Commandos' or Salwa Judum -- in the fight against Maoist insurgents was illegal and unconstitutional and ordered that they be immediately disarmed.

He wished Shah read the judgment, which runs up to 40 pages. "If he had read the judgment, perhaps he would not have made that comment. That's all I say and leave it there... There must be decency in the debate," he asserted.

He also threw his weight behind the caste survey, saying one has to first find out the percentage of those who need to be succoured and policies framed accordingly to empower them.

Reddy headed the expert panel which conducted the survey and revealed that 84.6% of the population in Telangana belonged to the backward classes.

"The Constitution doesn't speak about caste. If you have to classify a group together with some people as the backward classes, you have to find out their caste, their socio-economic conditions, their way of living, their access to power and the way they are recognised by the society. Caste survey has to be done," he said, adding that the Government of India has now included it in the Census.

According to Reddy, the Constitution is an integral one and it means conventions and morality.

"There are various steps taken by the government in power, making one feel legitimately that it is coming under challenge," he said, welcoming the debate that the Constitution is under attack and saying all should participate in it and express their opinion.

On the controversy over the inclusion of 'socialist', 'secular' in the Preamble, he said, according to him, the expressions have made things explicit, which is otherwise in-built in the provisions of the Constitution.

"Both the words which are made explicit, the ideas contained in the Constitution are welcome. It is true that the amendment came, that is 42nd Amendment, when the Emergency was invoked.

"But, one must remember, the Jana Sangh which formed the government later, unanimously approved it. Therefore, one fails to understand with what intention that debate is being triggered," he said.

On different narratives on Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and BR Ambedkar, Reddy said if you read the three superficially, some misconceptions and misunderstandings come to mind.

"Quintessentially, all three of them were great democrats, republicans and (they) believed in the ethics and morals of the Constitution. I do not think it would be in the interest of the nation to divide them into three segments. And one supporting and the other opposing and creating a false narrative is not in the nation's interest," he stressed. PTI SKC KSS KSS