Political Diary
New
Delhi, 27 March 2018
UP House Of Cards
TIME TO ABOLISH RAJYA
SABHA
By Poonam I Kaushish
Billed as the
political IPL’s battle of nerves, the just concluded Rajya Sabha biennial
elections was the latest in an ever-growing series of political skullduggery on
full public display. A macabre account of double crossing, treachery and
cross-voting. Clearly, the ‘vote
nautanki’ once again underscores that political maya can be traded for rajnitik
nirvana with the devil taking the
hindmost!
Of the 58 seats which
fell vacant in 16 States, 33 candidates from 10 States were unanimously elected
and 25 seats were contested in 6 States. In all the BJP won 27 which is a gain
of 11 seats. Till yesterday, the NDA was in the minority, today the BJP has
emerged as the single largest Party, ousting Congress which had the upper hand
in the Upper House.
Ulta Pulta UP lived up to its name and witnessed a
battle of nerves. For the BJP its tally
of 9 from 10 seats vindicated its defeat to the SP-BSP alliance for the Lok
Sabha bypolls in Gorakkpur and Phulpur recently. More so, as it snatched an extra seat by
defeating Mayawati’s candidate backed by Akhilesh and Rahul with deft management
and cross-voting. It remains to be seen
if the newfound bonhomie between Bua-Bhatija
continues for the 2019 general elections.
There was high drama
in Karnataka as well where counting was halted after the Janata Dal-Secular
accused two Congress legislators of being allowed to cast their vote twice. But
the ruling Congress comfortably romped home with three and BJP one. The results
in West Bengal were a no brainer as the Trinimool sailed smoothly with four and
ensured a victory for a lone Congress candidate.
Pertinently, what is
it about being elected to the Rajya Sabha which sees Parties, candidates, money
bags, powerful industrialist and power-brokers panting to get a slice of the
action? All striking underhand deals, indulging in skullduggery, sleaze, money
et al. Succinctly, power.
Confessed an
industrialist, “I have the money to buy everything but the trappings of power.
As MP I can walk into any Minister’s or babu’s
room and he has to attend to me. I can raise any issue, insist on being
heard even make outlandish demands, peddle influence etc.”
Two, it is a good
investment as once elected an MP has a sum of Rs 5 crores annually (Rs 30
crores for 6 years) under the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), to
“spend” read do as he pleases, as there is no particular constituency per se to nature, unlike his Lok Sabha
counterpart.
Resulting in the
House earning the ignominious moniker of being “bought”, akin to the Lok Sabha elections,
polls herein too have become big business. Shockingly, the figures for ‘buying’
the required number of votes range from Rs.20 crores to Rs.30 crores. The going
rate per vote is said to be Rs. 5 crores to Rs.10 crores.
Remember BSP supremo Mayawati
let the cat out by virtually auctioning the House nomination to the highest
bidder a few years ago. Whereby, she reportedly openly extolled her MPs to
“donate” their MPLADS funds if they wanted her to nominate them to the Rajya
Sabha. Sic.
Consequently, with
each passing year the character and quality of the House of Elders is sharply
deteriorating. Personal loyalty to the leader, monetary considerations and
political connections get precedence over competence and experience, becoming
more of a house of money bags and fixers.
Worse, the Council of
States has failed to evolve a distinct role for itself as the torch bearer of
the State’s concerns and is functioning more and more as a parallel (and
competing) political chamber to the Lok Sabha. Often shouting, abuse and
pandemonium has replaced serious debate.
If one had hoped that
the Supreme Court would set things right it was not to be. It held that a
candidate need not be a domicile of a State from where he seeks elections.
Thereby, opening the floodgates of powerbrokers and Lok Sabha losers finding
‘safe’ Rajya Sabha seats for a price and more.
Bluntly, the States’
voice over the years has got lost in the din of the power brokers and the money
bags, who strut about like peacocks in the changing Rajya Sabha kaleidoscope. The
tragedy of it all, in an era where political image has come to be branded like
detergents, our netagan have
converted the House of Elders into an invoice for self and pelf, instead of
dealing with chronic maladies that plague India.
Raising a moot point:
Why have a second chamber at all?
Unfortunately, the
House is not what it was intended to be. Recall, our Constitution-makers wanted
it to consist of persons of experience and eminence than those in the Lok Sabha.
It was intended to give an opportunity to seasoned people, who may not be in
the thickest of political fray, but who might be willing to participate in the
debate with an amount of learning and importance which one does not ordinarily
associate with the House of the People.
What next? Time for
our powers-that-be to desist from playing further havoc. The rules that govern
membership to Parliament must be re-written. One view is that the Rajya Sabha
could still be made to play a more useful role. JP strongly favoured a
Partyless Council whereby only those who had served one stint in the State
Assembly or Lok Sabha and no more than two terms should be made MP.
Today, we have MPs
enjoying four-six terms of six years each in the Rajya Sabha without ever fighting
an elections to either State Assembly or the Lok Sabha!
Also, should one
discontinue the practice of nominating members? Recall, this tradition was
started so that stellar achievers with knowledge or practical experience in
literature, science, art and social service who might not be able to survive
the vagaries of power politics could serve the country. Obversely, nominations
only help the nominating Party, why should the tax payer be financially
burdened with unelected MPs whose only contribution is a playing ‘yes’ man for
the Treasury Benches or ‘trophy’ MPs’ to be paraded at election time ?
I personally feel one
should abolish the chamber, as advocated by leading MPs at different times.
Significantly, Dr. Ambedkar himself went on record in 1949 to say that the
Rajya Sabha was being introduced “purely as an experimental measure” and there
was provision for “getting rid” of it.
Morarji Desai, for
his part, was one with Harold Laski’s view that “a single chamber best answers
the needs of modern states.” Why should the tax payer be financially burdened
with unelected MPs whose only contribution is serving their self interest?
Clearly, the Elders
must set their House in order, or else the coming months will decide whether
the Rajya Sabha will make Indian politics more messy and unworkable. What the
Upper House desperately needs is more substance than style. At the end of the
day, are we going to mortgage our conscience to corrupt and tainted leaders? ----
INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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