Yet another setback for the Modi government

Supreme Court reinstating Congress government in India’s Arunachal Pradesh a big snub for PM

The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suffered yet another setback with the Indian Supreme Court restoring the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. The court described the decision leading to its dismissal as “illegal” and “unconstitutional”.

This comes just two months after the Supreme Court reinstated Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat of the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. He faced a similar revolt by Congress members in the assembly, just like the one in Arunachal Pradesh. But in both cases, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Congress, saying it had the legitimacy to rule in those states. And on both occasions, once the apex court made its decision, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter, saying democracy had won. Just as he had done after the Uttarakhand verdict, Rahul once again said Modi must learn the ways of democracy. But these two instances of the Supreme Court ruling against Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has stepped up a silent feud with the judiciary. In October 2015, the Supreme Court had struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act and the 99th Constitutional Amendment, which gave politicians and civil society the final say in the appointment of Supreme Court and high court judges.

While Modi continues to tour foreign countries, polishing diplomacy, home fires burn and spread. The opposition has voiced its discontent that Modi has scant regard for the tenets of democracy. It claims that Modi comes down with a heavy hand on non-BJP state governments, looking for the slightest of excuses to dismiss them. Indian democracy has always been vibrant and strong. People will voice their opinion and have the final say.