A former (and untainted) Chief Justice of India, M.N.Venkatachalaiah delivered the fifth Rajaji Memorial Lecture on 25th September. The function was presided over by E.S.L.Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh. The topic was "Degeneration of the idea of constitutional democracy in India".
The lecture was replete with quotes from historians, poets and legal luminaries. MNV explained how the transformation of leadership from muddled mediocrity to dangerous deviancy is posing cataclysmic challenge to Indian polity. He humorously brought out the greatness of democracy by quoting a Malaysian judge who had once told him that in Malaysia too one has freedom of speech but not freedom after speech!
He circumspectly evaded answering a question on recent debates on probity of Supreme Court Chief Justices. He only said that he has not visited the highest court of justice ever since his retirement. But the tone of his response suggested that all was not well.
The governor came down heavily on the acquisitive urges of present day politicians and administrators. His abandonment of gubernatorial caution provided a breath of fresh air.
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