Contesting polls alone is not politics: Chelameswar

Vijayawada: Supreme Court retired judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar said people were responsible for the deterioration of institutions in the country. “Institution means not a building and physical structure, but people,” he said while addressing a book release function organised in a private function hall here on Sunday.

Justice Chelameswar was the guest of honour for the release of book ‘Navyandhra My Journey’ written by former Chief Secretary to the Government of Andhra Pradesh I Y R Krishna Rao.

Eminent retired IAS officers, former MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar and others attended the event and spoke at length on deterioration of institutions in the country in recent years and the need for the retired bureaucrats and other intellectuals to speak up to save democracy and institutions.

Reacting to the opinions expressed by speakers, Justice Chelameswar pointed out that people were to blame for the situation in the current situation in the country. “People like Mahatma Gandhi will not come to change the society. We should think what we are doing,” he said.

He said contesting elections alone is not politics, but taking up public issues is also politics. “I am in politics as I speak about the issues of people, but I do not contest the elections,” he said. Justice Chelameswar lamented at the declining moral values in the society.

On partition of the state, he said it was a political decision but felt proper ground work was not done by the Union government before dividing the state. Leaders can take decisions but accountability and transparency is must, he pointed out.

Stating that Supreme Court judges should also needed accountability, he said people were questioning Chief Ministers, MLAs, MPs and officers but not the judges. He said any decision should not be imposed on the people.

Indirectly referring to divisive politics of some political parties, Justice Chelameswar said the greatness of India was unity in diversity. “But some forces are pursuing divisive politics but the spirit of unity is prevailing among people,” he said.

He recalled that former IAS officer P K Agarwal is the native of Uttar Pradesh but sincerely served the people of Andhra Pradesh when Telugus and Kannadigas fought on Almatti dam issue.

He said retired IAS officer Chandana Khan had made invaluable contribution to the promotion of tourism in Andhra Pradesh though she hails from other state.