Rule of law : Learning from colonialists

Publish: 12:27 AM, June 16, 2022 | Update: 12:27 AM, June 16, 2022

In a society where there is rule of law not in letters but in spirit, everyone stands to benefit from it . Its correct application protects the weak in society against oppression and despotism by the powerful and the influential, obliges all to respect laws for the common good and from such adherence to law, society’s overall good and welfare is attained in every sphere.
Princess Anne, daughter of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of UK, was fined 500 pounds by a magistrate in London sometime ago for allowing her dogs to roam round free and their biting some children. The royal person appeared in court just like any commoner in relation to the case and confessed her guilt and had to hear the penalty declared in relation to the offence.
Can we think of such a scenario in our country ? First of all, the police might not even agree to start a case against even a junior minister of the government here in response to a public complaint. Even if a case is actually started, it might not progress far because of the power, influence or eminence of the allegedly guilty person. Such eminence itself is a restraining factor in many cases in this country to discourage the complainants out of a sense of futility in pursuing legally the redress of grievances.
But what a difference it would make if rule of law in the real meaning of the expression prevailed in our country. In that case, the country would be so much transformed for the better in every way. Our former colonial master sought to leave us a legacy in different fields in the latter part of their rule. Rule of law was one such principle they wished to leave behind. But in many ways, it seems, we practice more the trappings than the actual rule of law.
But in the UK they showed what great things can be accomplished by genuine respect for the law. The monarchy in the UK was limited by law and not by violence like in other European countries and everybody was better off as a result.
Even the colonial occupation of the Indian subcontinent was given up peacefully through a legal process by the British unlike other contemporary cases of end of imperial control through wars and revolution. Thus,we have a lot to learn from the colonialists masters in these matters. They were not only our oppressors and exploiters but they also sought to inculcate rules and behaviour for our lasting good.