The standoff in the Parliament!

Rajya Sabha witnessed tumultuous scenes over the passage of the farm bills by a voice vote, despite the opposition demanding a division, which the deputy chairman of the House declined. It followed a rush into the well and throwing the rule book at the speaker. After the customary adjournment of the House, the speaker suspended seven MPs for a week. The MPs sat in dharna near the statue of Gandhi outside the Parliament. The sit-out is on.

Rule 378, 373 and 374A have very clearly laid down not only about the absolute powers of the speaker but also the automatic suspension for breaching into the well or abusing the rules of the House persistently and wilfully.

Such indiscretions are not the first time, though. A reformist PM Man Mohan Singh, suffering from the loss of majority and an abortive attempt of a no-confidence by a former ally Trinamool Congress. MMS pleaded, “We all have an obligation, in opposition as well as in government to work together to enable our parliamentary democracy.”

Earlier this year the BJP and the Congress members pushed and shoved each other in Lok Sabha over the communal riots in Delhi. The Parliament was repeatedly adjourned, and no business could be conducted.

The winter session of the 2010 Lok Sabha was the worst in terms of legislative performance in the last 25 years. The Rajya Sabha’s performance over the same period was even worse. The LS worked for barely 5.5% of the time available, and the Rajya Sabha worked for barely 2.4% of the time available. In Nov 1995 during the Sukhram telecom controversy and during 2004 when the opposition demanded the removal of the tainted ministers paralyzing the Parliament. Despite the lows, 40% of the legislative business was carried on even then.

The champion brawlers, however, could be the Taiwanese parliamentarians, who released their clenched fists at the opponents first in the 80s, the South Koreans running a close second registering their first parliamentary punch in 2004. The East European lawmakers also love to take on their opponents at the drop of a hat, the Ukrainians leading the pack.

The Australians are known for openness in their expressions, their former PM Paul Keating referring to opponents as ‘scumbags, brain-damaged of foul-mouth pugs.’ The backbenchers in the English Parliament are known boors, jeering at the opposition. While calling someone ‘liar’ is frowned upon in the English Parliament, Churchill coined the euphemism, ‘terminological inexactitude’ to circumvent the problem.

Merely for calling out, ‘you lie’ to President Obama during his address to the Congress, the US House of Representatives voted to admonish the offender, Rep Joe Wilson.

Parliament could be a fabulous place, of exchanges of wit and wisdom while enacting legislation in the interest of the nation, all in a spirit of camaraderie and tolerance.

Hmmm!

Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix