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POLITICAL DIARY
New Delhi, 6 June 2009
Declining
Parliament
NEW SPEAKER, NEW
CHAPTER?
By Poonam I Kaushish
Believe it or not, winds of change seem to be sweeping
across Parliament. If you feel that’s impossible, think again. A valiant effort
is being made to ‘put-in’ reformation mode India’s high temple of democracy.
Of course, it remains to be seen if our MPs’ play ‘fair’!
It took all of seven minutes to script a new beginning of
the 15th Lok Sabha on Wednesday last. When 64-year-old five-term MP
Meira Kumar rode high on optimism into history books. By achieving a rare
double of becoming the first Dalit woman Lok Sabha Speaker. Making plain that
she was no pushover, meant business and would not hesitate to crack the whip,
Meira vowed to run the House as per “the Constitution rules and traditions. We
should discuss and debate, and if need be, we should express our differences in
a gentle manner without affecting the working of the House.”
She also underscored her intension of restoring the Lok
Sabha’s long lost glory drowned in the cacophony of petty foggers,
one-upmanship and conmanship. Parliament should function through debate,
discussion and consensus which she felt was possible if our MPs adopted an
attitude of cooperation rather than confrontation. Wherein the MPs would adhere
to the rules and follow the numerous conventions and customs. Her message ran
loud and clear: Put the Lok Sabha back on the rails.
However, what Madam Speaker proposed the MPs disposed. Within minutes of taking charge she got a
taste of things to come. When RJD leader Lalu and his JD(U) counterpart Sharad
Yadav got into a slanging match over the former’s references to previous
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and the Indo-US nuclear deal in his congratulatory
speech. Accused the JD(U) chief, “don’t inject rajniti on this occasion. Countered Lalu, “Ab aap se updesh sunne padenge (Will I have to endure sermons from
you).” Net result? Expunction of the tu-tu-mein-mein.
But this was only the tip of the iceberg of the many
discords that await the new Speaker. Already male battle-lines are drawn over
the Women Reservation Bill which the Government intends turning into reality
soon. Thundered Sharad Yadav again, “I will consume poison but not let the
women’s quota bill pass.” Plainly, notwithstanding
the empowerment message in Meira’s elevation, the ‘belan vs pagri' issue remains a hot potato. Wherein, the Speaker
would need all her wherewithal and restraint in the coming days.
More so as the challenges confronting the nation have increased
manifold. The country is today in the throes of increasing social and economic
tensions. In addition, there are forces within and without eager to destabilise
India
and disrupt its unity and integrity. Which calls for reasoned debate. Instead,
till date even a one-man Opposition army has prevented discussion by holding
the House to ransom. Not a few members have made it a habit of rushing into the
well of the House. All spew sheer contempt.
We take great pride in calling ourselves the world’s largest
democracy. Yet most of us forget that Parliamentary democracy provides for a
civilized form of government based on discussion, debate and consensus.
Ruthless politics has taken over and discussions and debates have largely lost
their meaning. Numbers alone matter and have become the sole criteria of
success. Bringing things to such a pass that pursuit of power, pelf and
patronage is replacing law making.
In this milieu, the Speaker’s role has become all the more
important and demanding. Few in India, however,
appreciate even today the key role of the Speaker without whom, according to
Erskine May, “the House has no Constitutional existence.” Nehru repeatedly
emphasised the importance of the office of the Speaker and laid emphasis on its
prestige and authority. Said he in 1958: “The Speaker represents the House. He
represents the dignity of the House, the freedom and liberty. Therefore, it is
right that his should be an honoured position, a free position and should be
occupied always by men of outstanding ability and impartiality.
Nehru as the leader of the House encouraged by his own
conduct the Chair to be independent and impartial. Elders recall how Nehru once
clashed with Speaker Mavalankar on the floor of the Lok Sabha when the latter
disallowed him from making a second statement in one day in contravention of
the rules. Nehru agitatedly argued: “But Mr Speaker Sir…” However, he soon
resumed his seat as the Speaker asserted: “Order, order. The Prime Minister
will take his seat!” Incredible as it may seem in today’s India, Mavalankar once allowed an adjournment
motion against Sardar Patel to discuss the escape of Mir Laik Ali, Prime
Minister of Nizam’s Hyderabad from India.
Clearly to conduct the business of the House smoothly, there
has to be stern discipline. Discussions
have to be made more meaningful and focused through a strict time schedule.
Today, time management has become a joke. Most Speakers have been much too
indulgent, allowing senior Party leaders to speak way beyond their allotted
time. Not a few leaders speak as though they are speaking in a public meeting
or a political rally.
Consequently, crucial legislative business meriting in-depth
debate gets rushed through with only a cursory glance. There is no such thing
as first, second and third readings of bills as during Parliament’s golden era
under Nehru. Unlike in past, the Chair has to make sure that money bills are
not passed without debate. Worse, the demands for grants of various Ministries
and Departments, running into lakhs of crores of rupees are guillotined without
any discussion because time gets wasted on non-issues.
No doubt, Madam Speaker has to walk a tight rope. She has to
ensure among other things that the Opposition has its say even as the
Government has its way. For starters take a leaf out of the book of the West to
save time, wherein the microphone is switched off as soon as a MP finishes his
allotted time. Winston Churchill once told his party MPs that ordinary members
should endeavour to make only one point in their speeches. It is the privilege
of Prime Ministers alone to make two points!
True, there is no magic remedy. The process has to be slow
and long. Nevertheless, a meaningful beginning could be made if the new Speaker
puts an end to brazen rowdysim. The Chair needs to ensure that the House is not
held to ransom through a ‘gang up’ of MPs determined to disrupt its smooth
functioning. Any member crossing the Lakshman
Rekha and rushing into the well of the House should automatically stand
suspended for a week. In fact, this measure was part of a code drawn up by
former Speaker Balayogi. But it was never enforced. Sadly, spine was lacking.
What next? Clearly, it is time to give serious thought to
rectifying the flaws in our system and urgently overhauling it. Rules have to
be drastically changed to put Parliament back on the rails and ensure that none
can hold the House to ransom. First and foremost, we have to be clear: Are we
for democracy as a civilized form of Government or have we degenerated into
what the former President Giri once described as a “democracy” of devils and
fixers? A feudal democracy run like a family enterprise?
In the final analysis, Speaker Meira Kumar needs to heed
Indira Gandhi’s words: “Parliament is even as a bulwark of democracy… It has
also a very heavy task of keeping an image that will gain it the faith and
respect of the people. Because, if that is lost, then I don’t know what could
happen later.” That faith and respect requires to be restored and built by the
new Speaker through a new chapter. Any takers?---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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