Going by established democratic norms Mr. Narendra Modi’s government has lost its moral authority to continue in office. If the government had any self respect it should resign. The latest Supreme Court order related to black money is so strong and damning that the government is left defenseless. The Court has ordered the government to provide to it all names on lists given by all foreign governments. The Court has rubbished the government’s attempt to alter the earlier ruling of the Court on black money. It has rejected the government’s feeble arguments citing the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement to withhold the names until charge sheets are leveled against those deemed guilty. The Court has rejected the government’s attempt to disclose the names of black money account holders in installments extending over an indefinite period that would have served political advantage.

The Court has advised the government to stay away from all investigation related to black money deposited abroad. The Court has stated that it will oversee the problem and decide how and who conducts an effective probe. In other words the Supreme Court has told the nation that this government is not fit to govern in accordance with law which is why the Court will undertake the task. If there be any doubt about the implication of the Supreme Court’s criticism it has criticized the government for providing “a protective umbrella” to shield the guilty.

Does anything more need to be said? After this damning indictment given by the highest judicial authority in the land what respect can the public have for this government? If the President of India were to discharge his responsibilities as specified in our explicitly written Constitution he should advise the government to resign failing which he has the power to dismiss it. Whether the President will act or not is doubtful. Whether the government will have the decency to resign or not is doubtful. What is beyond doubt is that this government has lost its moral right to govern after being nailed by the Supreme Court for protecting corruption. Mr. Modi’s government betrayed voters after repeatedly pledging recovery of black money siphoned abroad. The Supreme Court deserves praise for serving public interest by passing this order.