FARCE OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
in our country has become conspicuous
recently with reference to the critical situation in Andhra Pradesh as also the
authoritarian and collusive conduct of the Speakers of the Parliament as also
of AP and Telangana. It is quite regrettable that in a post adorned
by illustrious persons like Sri Mavalankar, Anantasayanam Ayyangar, et al - now
puny personalities are sitting and acting to the tunes of the ruling parties. Our
Lok Sabha Speaker had no compunction to pass any bills, including the current
budget proposals, without any discussion and debate even, that amidst much
greater furore, but seems to have no inclination to admit the no-confidence motion
against the ruling government, on the lame excuse of a handful of anarchic MPs were
agitating in the Well of the House, though she has all the powers to suspend
them and then carry on the business. But she seems to be acting at the bidding
of her masters, and she has not resigned from the party and declared her as
impartial though there is such scope in the Constitution. Likewise the Speaker
of Andhra Pradesh has repeatedly turned down the requests and demands of the
main opposition party that the turncoats MLAs from their ranks who defected to
the ruling party be forthwith disqualified and though years have passed is not
even responding on those proceedings, with some of them now in ministers’ posts
even. A similar situation prevails in Telangana with the Speaker perpetrating more
illegalities – even recognizing the defector MLAs as a merged group in the
ruling party; and recently approving the expulsion of two Congress members on
trivial charges, even without any enquiry. It is much disputed whether Indian
legislatures have such power of total expulsion of a member, with no law in
this regard. Both the Speakers of AP and Telangana continue to be prominent
members in respective ruling parties; and that naturally enhances their bias.
This is quite in contrast to the laudable situation in the Mother of
Parliaments (UK) where the Speaker has to resign on election and is accorded
immense respect and obedience by all the members. On the contrary, Speakers in
our country are acting like virtual puppets, paving way for the ultimate
extinction of parliamentary democracy. It is necessary to warn here that all
such perversions would surely lead in course to total disenchantment of people
with the prevalent system and pave the way for a right-wing or military
dictatorship, which is more likely than any remote possibility of a left-wing
dictatorship even. Unfortunately even the Constitutional Courts are not acting
fast and properly in condemning such constitutional violations, and collusive
and authoritarian conducts, of the Speakers and bringing some sense once again
into our democratic setup. §§§
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