Public Rally Speeches In Parliament Lower The Dignity Of The House
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2024-07-07 10:06:36
About the Author
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
The composition of the Lok Sabha has changed drastically after the recent general elections. The NDA, which had a brutal majority (with the BJP alone enjoying a simple majority), has been reduced to a simple majority and the BJP is way below the half way mark. The Opposition benches have swelled. This should bring a sense of responsibility to both the opposition and the ruling dispensation. For the opposition because although the people did not vote out the NDA, they voted for the opposition to not allow the government to do as it pleased on the strength of it overwhelming majority. For the ruling dispensation because it must have done things which made the people vote against it to reduce its majority and it must think about them.
But sadly, nothing has changed. The opposition continues to tear into the government, with renewed vigour as the speech (brilliant, though, flashing pictures of Lord Shiva and others) of LoP Rahul Gandhi showed. The government continues to belittle the opposition, as the speech of PM Modi ("balak buddhi", calling the Congress a "parasite", et al) showed. This is not something the people expect from both the government and the opposition. Debate and discussion should be on burning issues that demand the attention of the people;s representatives. The bhay, bhay, bhay; asatya, asatya, asatya and balak buddhi and parasite can be used in public rallies and not inside Parliament. There, the responsibility is far bigger than putting each other down.
The opposition now has the numbers. It must force a discussion on each and every topic. It must not allow the government to rush through legislation or escape censure on important issues. But is must do so within the rules of the august House. The government, on the other hand, must humbly accept that the people have given a louder voice to the opposition this time and must not be highhanded. For, if the quality of debate and discussion is poor, bragging about high productivity means nothing.
