NEW DELHI: Amid the controversy over his recent remarks regarding the judiciary and Parliament, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday asserted that every word spoken by a constitutional functionary is guided by national interest.
“There is no visualisation in the Constitution of any authority above Parliament. Parliament is supreme... Let me tell you, it is as supreme as every individual in the country,” Dhankhar said at a Delhi University event marking 75 years of the Indian Constitution. “Part of ‘We the People’ is an atom in democracy and that atom has atomic power. That atomic power is reflected during elections and that is why we are a democratic nation,” he added.
He underscored that there should be “no doubt” that the Constitution is for the people and its repository of safeguarding is that of the elected representatives. “They are the ultimate masters as to what the Constitution’s content will be,” Dhankhar said.
Warning against attempts to undermine institutions, including the presidency, Dhankhar said such forces must be countered. He again underlined the centrality of citizens in a democracy. “For any democracy, every citizen has a pivotal role. I find it inconceivably intriguing that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial or ornamental. Nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of the role of everyone in this country, constitutional functionary or a citizen.”
A top court bench recently prescribed a three-month timeline for the President to decide on bills reserved by governors for her nod. To this, Dhankhar had said the judiciary cannot play the role of a “super Parliament” and get into the domain of the executive.
He said every word spoken by a constitutional functionary is guided by the supreme sublime interest of the nation. “I find it conceivably intriguing that some have recently reflected that constitutional offices can be ceremonial or ornamental. Nothing can be far distanced from a wrong understanding of the role of everyone in this country — constitutional functionary or a citizen,” he said.
Stating that every one of them has a role, he said, “The soul of democracy resides and pulsates in every citizen.”
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said that neither Parliament nor the executive but the Constitution is supreme. “Everything the court has said is consistent with the country’s constitutional values and guided by national interest,” Sibal said in posts on X. “Parliament has the plenary power to pass laws. Supreme Court has the obligation to interpret the constitution and do complete justice (Article 142),” he said.
