Political Diary

New Delhi, 8 August 2015

‘Suspended’ Monsoon Session

DROWNED IN MPs ONSLAUGHT

By Poonam I Kaushish

Yawn! We have been through all this before. Of how Parliament is increasingly becoming a tamasha wherein crores of tax payers’ money is being swept away by the verbal torrent of tu-tu-mein-mein leading to walk-outs and pandemonium. The ongoing Monsoon session is no different: Washed out by repeated adjournments of both Houses over Lalitgate and Vyapam scandal resulting in suspension of 25 Congress MPs for five days. Underscoring how this temple of democracy is being used to score petty political points. Upholding the best tenets of Parliamentary democracy, what?

Predictably, all hell broke loose. A stunned Sonia Gandhi called it a “black day for democracy” and sat in dharna along-with son Rahul, ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the ‘suspended’ MPs in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament’s premises. In solidarity nine Opposition Parties like NCP, DMK, Trinamool too kept away from the Lok Sabha worsening a bitter stand-off and dimming chances of key Bills being passed this session.   

Not a few would dismiss these outrageous happenings as an exercise in political one-upmanship between the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led UPA. The former drawing blood and the latter battling for regaining lost ground. At another, the fracas in both Houses over the resignation sleaze throw up basic questions in regard to the quality and character of our democracy and Parliament’s sovereignty representing the will of the people.

Raising a moot point: Is it fair to suspend MPs who create bedlam because the Government refuses to accede to their demand for Ministerial resignations? Is it just to deny voters representation via their elected representatives even for a day? Shouldn’t a Minister be allowed to make a statement? Is suspension the answer for breaking a logjam? Doesn’t cooperation work better than confrontation?

True, the archaic Rules of Business allow suspension of MPs. And both BJP-Congress are equally guilty having abused this rule in the past. The Congress-led UPA suspended 18 Right Honourables (majority being Partymen) for unruly behaviour and creating hubbub over the Telengana issue and during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure when then Speaker Balram Jakhar suspended 56 MPs. At the same time, it more as an exception rather than a rule.

The BJP too is a culprit. Times out of number it has disrupted Parliament. The 2012 monsoon session over Coalgate and 2010 winter session on 2G scam were non-starters. Justifying its misdemeanour by asserting, “Stalling Parliament is also a form of democracy.” Again, it stalled the Women Reservation Bill on the fallacious plea it be taken up without ejecting MPs supporting it. Sic.

However, this is the first time suspension is being used as a political weapon per se to isolate only the Congress. Remember, the TRS MPs too were in the well of the House but were left untouched by the Speaker, for reasons best known to her. Never mind, they continued coming to the well of the House on subsequent days also.

If Speaker Sumitra Mahajan hoped to emphasize she was no pushover, meant business and would not hesitate to crack the whip again, not many seemed to buy her line. As her action had Modisque stamped all over it and was reminiscent of the Gujarat Assembly model. Infamous for the Opposition being suspended for the entire duration of an Assembly session to ensure the House’s smooth running.

Undeniably a Government that can make peace with Naga militants and break bread with bête noire Pakistan can also extend a hand to the Opposition to ensure Parliament runs smoothly. Our Right Honourables need to remember there are wasting the tax payers money in their ego battles, pettyfoggeries and one-upmanship.

Already, Rs nearly 70 crores has been lost due to the deadlock given that it costs Rs 1.5 crores per hour to run each House. The contempt our MPs have for Parliament can be gauged from the fact that when queried, about foregoing this session’s pay packet, including the Rs 2000 daily allowance, a majority of MPs’ said “No way. It is our birthright.” Thereby, collectively affixing their seal of approval on political harlotry of the worst kind.

Undoubtedly, it is nobody’s case that by not allowing Parliament to function our polity is making a mockery of the institution, reducing its importance and relevance. But what is disgusting and perturbing is not that obstructionism is becoming more the rule rather than exception, but that our polity largely continues to drift along smugly without any shame, desire to turn a new page and prevent its crumble.

They need to realize they have been elected and paid handsomely to do a job. The country is today in the throes of challenges, 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. Yet, members have made it a habit of rushing into the well of the House and prevented discussion by holding the House to ransom. All spewing sheer contempt.

Alas, ruthless politics has taken over whereby discussions and debates have largely lost their meaning. We have settled for size and not content wherein supremacy of Parliament seems to have been replaced with the ‘to the streets’ bugle. Numbers alone matter and have become the criteria of success. Bringing things to such a pass that pursuit of power, pelf and patronage is replacing law making and Parliamentary proceedings have little material bearing on the course of politics.

The monsoon session has posed a question: The issue is not just of our MPs’ making ones presence felt by muscle-flexing or even intolerance of another’s point of view. It is about upholding the highest standards of morality, credibility and dignity of Parliament. The MPs are servants of the people, not their masters.

What next? The time has come for all MPs to see how they can strengthen Parliamentary democracy before people begin to mock at it in sheer disgust. One way is that on policy matters and legislative business the Treasury and Opposition Benches should rise above sectarian political loyalties and be guided more by what the country needs, the sense of the House than the rule book.

Thus, our leaders need to heed voices of reason. Tying up Parliament in trivia, sans business does not behove the world’s largest democracy. Time to change the rules, perhaps, bring Parliament under ESMA (Essential Services Management Act) wherein disrupting its functioning will become an offence.

If Parliament is to function the Government and Opposition have to bury the hatchet of distrust. The Treasury and Opposition benches are two sides of the democratic coin and must ensure orderly debate, discussion and functioning. Parliamentary democracy succeeds only when the rules of the game are followed honestly.  Basically, the Opposition must have its say, even as the Government has its way. Else, it will lose its credibility and prestige. Worse, become redundant and irrelevant.

Time for our MPs to stop scoring petty political points against each other and remember Parliament works 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 one does know what will happen later. Modi needs to realize that the law of majority has no place.” What gives? ----- INFA 

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)