Gujarat Burning

The Supreme Court�s recent decision (12th April, 2004) to order a retrial in the �Best Bakery� case and also to move the trial to Maharashtra to ensure the independence of the judiciary of our country is a bold and dramatic statement. In particular, the SC�s scathing choice of words (equating the Gujarat government with the reprehensible Roman Emperor Nero) may well be seen as an indictment in itself of state government�s complete mishandling (or deliberate indifference) towards the crisis.
What happened in Gujarat seriously dented India�s global image as a secular nation that seeks for the development and security of all its communities without prejudice. Often viewed as a large, messy, albeit secular, working democracy, we would do ourselves a favour to continue to denounce such acts of barbarism perpetuated by narrow minded, ideologically driven political minions.
Justice may be slow but it is sure. Once again the Supreme Court as a protector and defender of the Constitution, which guarantees us our fundamental rights, has shown that when it comes down to it, the system does work and can be trusted.