India has ensured democracy deep-rooted: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said democracy is so deep rooted in India that changes happen without any bloodshed, and argued that change of govt and state boundaries without any violence are the best testaments to the strength of democracy in the country.

Releasing two books - 'The Bench, the Bar and the Bizarre' and 'The Lawful and the Awful' - authored by solicitor general Tushar Mehta and welcoming guests on his behalf, Shah said, "In the 76-year-long journey of our Constitution, we ensured that democracy developed deep roots in India. We have strengthened our multi-party democratic parliamentary system. From 1947 till today, Parliament and assemblies, state boundaries have been changed without any bloodshed."

"Constitution and judiciary have immensely contributed in strengthening democracy in India. The country has immense faith in judiciary, and citizenry is assured that Constitution and judiciary will protect and come to his rescue if he faced injustice. These three - Constitution, Parliament and Judiciary - are the edifice of our strong democracy," Shah said while addressing an audience which comprised judges of the Supreme Court and high courts as well as the Royal Court of Bhutan.

Commenting on the books that encapsulated events involving judges and courtroom incidents in foreign countries to highlight that courts are not bereft of honour, eccentricity and sarcasm, despite its inherent 'black and white' appearance, Shah took advantage of the presence of CJI Surya Kant, former CJI N V Ramana, sitting SC and HC judges and senior advocates to indulge in joyous sarcasm.

"I would have appreciated his courage if he had written a book on Indian judiciary on the lines of the two books. Whether my comments are a reflection on the courts or on Tushar Mehta, I leave it to the judgment of the audience," he said, adding he would speak his mind about the Indian judiciary sooner than later at an appropriate forum.

Shah said that by and large, as a society, "we have excelled at the dispensation of justice... It is our responsibility that loopholes in the system are addressed by the executive and the judiciary and bring a road map to ensure it is not repeated in future".

CJI Surya Kant enthralled the audience by quoting humorous incidents from Indian courts and said these could encourage Mehta to pen his third book, which should be on Indian judiciary that is replete with similar incidents he had quoted from foreign jurisdictions.

Attorney general R Venkataraman enacted a sterling courtroom scene by presenting a counter-affidavit to Mehta's books.