In a moment of chilling clarity, former Supreme Court judge Rohinton Nariman sounded the alarm: tampering with the foundational principles of India’s Constitution could lead the country down a blood-soaked path. Speaking at the launch of his latest book The Basic Structure Doctrine, Nariman didn’t mince words. If the doctrine is ever dismantled, he warned, “God help this country. Jallianwala Bagh becomes a distinct possibility.”
The doctrine he refers to — born from the landmark Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala ruling — is the constitutional firewall that protects the rule of law, judicial independence, and the supremacy of the Constitution from the whims of transient political majorities. It’s not just legal theory, Nariman emphasized, it’s the last line of defense against democratic collapse.
With legal heavyweights like Supreme Court Justice K.V. Viswanathan, retired Justice A.K. Sikri, and senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi in the audience, the evening took on the gravity of a courtroom warning rather than a book launch.
The message was clear: the Basic Structure is not optional. It’s the constitutional soul of India. And should it fall, history has shown the cost — in blood and silence.
