Who is ‘Eeshwar’ in whose name top constitutional functionaries and legislators take oath of office? This RTI query stumped the Law Ministry, which said there is no constitutional provision defining the term.
RTI-applicant Shradhanand Yogacharya also raised another query, seeking to know the meaning of “Satyameva Jayate”, the motto inscribed at the base of the national emblem.
The application, which was addressed to President’s Secretariat, was transferred to Home Ministry which forwarded it to the Law Ministry.
Failing to get any satisfactory response, Shradhanand took the matter to the Central Information Commission where, during the hearing held through video conferencing, a Law Ministry official told him that they can only provide information which is part of the records.
Central Public Information Officer S K Chitkara also tried to convince the applicant that “Satyamev Jayate” was not part of any Constitutional provision and terms like “truth”, “religion”, “caste” were not defined in any part of the Constitution hence no information could be provided.
He asked the applicant to understand the expressions in the context of circumstances or based on judicial explanations available in various judgements or law books.
Chitkara told Shradhanand that meaning of words like Eeshwar, Satya, Jati, Nyay and Dharma are supposed to be explained by teachers and Acharyas but cannot be asked under the RTI Act where the term “information” is clearly defined under the law.
Intrigued by the debate between the applicant and the CPIO, Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu also chipped in and asked the applicant “Can you define Eeshwar and Truth?” to which he had no answer.
The proposed reply to the questions, Such as Ishwar, Satyamev jayate are appended below :
ISHWAR
The word is used just making ones verbal statement to be abide with existance of God…The word is universal having meaning only one irrespective of Names…such as Allaha, God or any other which enhance the spirituality of the person who is taking oath in the name of his loving supreme power which governs whole the cosmos.
Why this word is used because the civilised people accept the existance of the creator of this cosmos and follow the basic principles of life for a healthy society.
SATYAMEV JAYATE
The word has been drived from our holy Vedas..which renounce the meaning as TRUTH IS ALWAYS TRUIMPH..
We believe that a good society can be flourised when its adopt the way of truth failing which the society may fall from its moral value. To strengthened the moral value of the individual, societ we say SATYAMEV JAYATE..