Restore House sanctity

At the way the politicians of the day are behaving and getting geared up in the battle for one-upmanship, it seems like the 2019 General Elections will be akin to the epic Mahabharata. However, it is difficult to ascertain as to who would be Kauravas and Pandavas when they come face to face in the battlefield.

Interestingly, many leaders are giving glimpses of being Shakuni with the more educated ones using a language that is unbecoming of Members of Parliament. A fall-out has been that people’s welfare has taken a terrible beating even as every party, national and regional, is claiming to be the most principled and progressive one. Each is tagging the opponent as a ‘traitor.’

There was a time, about two decades back to be more precise, when Parliament used to discuss and debate every issue – from the drought conditions to an MP not getting water in the tap at his residence. The opposition used to criticise the government and the ruling party used to rebut the charges equally effectively, but none dared stoop to use of slang and character assassination.

It used to be a pleasure to hear the top leaders speak with an authoritative rhetoric that was heard in pin-drop silence. Two decades or so later, the Parliament is caught in the grip of sound pollution, thanks to street-rally culture that pervades. The Speaker despite having extraordinary powers has been giving an impression that she is helpless in conducting the proceedings in a smooth manner.

After 23 days of protests both inside and outside the Parliament despite garnering the support of various parties, including the major opposition Congress party, the ruling party stonewalled notices for taking up the no-confidence motion. This adamant attitude of the government has led to a situation where the TDP members in Rajya Sabha staged a sit-in even after the House was adjourned. The repeated appeals by the Secretary-General fell on deaf ears. Expressing their solidarity with RS members, the TDP members of Lok Sabha resorted to dharna in the Central Hall. It is unfortunate that bad precedents are being set and the BJP will have to take the blame for it.

Instead of finding a solution to the problem, the NDA MPs announced that they will forego 23 days of salary as a mark of protest against “disruptive tactics” of opposition. But what these MPs would forego would be much less than the amount spent on the conduct of the Parliament.

The lawmakers should know that it costs the exchequer about Rs 2.5 lakh per minute. Whether any business is conducted or not both the Houses would have to spend that amount for a minimum of six hours a day!

It is time such theatrics are stopped and the ‘honourable’ members become role models for the society as also deliver work that is value for the exorbitant salaries they command.