The MPs that we've elected and sent to parliament have no right to denigrate our country and us. Their uncouth behaviour, especially in the Rajya Sabha, in front of a visiting parliamentary delegation from Bhutan was uncalled for and deplorable.
Whatever be the political differences between the treasury benches and the opposition, they could have been discussed on the floor of the house, scoring points and counterpoints on such an occasion. That would have set a worthy precedent of a mature democracy and would have been the best take away for any visitor in the gallery! Instead, the previous three weeks of hooliganism was on display as a continuing pantomime. The cackling that followed when the Chairman, Rajya Sabha hoped 'that the visiting delegation would learn the way we carry out our parliamentary affairs' - according to me, did two damaging things apart from letting the nation down and showing themselves as a bunch of unruly schoolkids viz.:-
(a) showed disrespect towards the guests when we pride ourselves with, "Athithi devo bhava."
(b) showed scant regard to the stature of the chairman of the house.
I happened to watch the prime time news that covered it with the right amount of seriousness and must frankly admit that the people who defended the pettiness were probably doing so, firstly, because they'd no choice as they're deputed to be their party's spokesmen and secondly, they're under the misguided notion that they would squirm their way through to their leader's good books by a spirited(?) performance on the show. What astonished me was that the protagonists were young MPs - wonder whether this is a taste of things to come, petulant and vindictive!
Consider some of the points put up in defence of their boorish behaviour (I've put my counters to each point in highlighted italics):-
(a) The ruling party, while in opposition, had done it 19 times to a host of foreign delegations.
Are you trying to tell us that vendetta will be the order of the day? We'd like to surpass the
number 19 to get even with them.......is this what is being purported? Why can't you show
some grace by differing from them on behaviour?
(b) Keeping the current logjam in Parliament in mind, the delegation should not have been brought
into the house.
As an MP, you should at least be knowing that visits like these are planned well in advance
and the detail programme prepared so that there's no cause for any embarrassment. Every
aspect goes like clock work except for some exceptional circumstances! Invitations aren't
exchanged overnight, please!!
(c) The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is inefficient because he'd not reached out to the opposition.
Let's, for argument's sake, agree to this logic and concede that the minister had goofed it
up but why did you've to show pettiness by indulging in unparliamentary behaviour?
My take.
(a) There's no way that the boorish behaviour in parliament can be justified. It's simply deplorable, shameful and unacceptable!
(b) The monsoon session of parliament is a washout. How'll the lawmakers justify to their countrymen about not having transacted any business? Will they draw their perks, allowances and salaries for this disruptive session?
I hang my head, in shame, for having elected representatives who aren't statesmenlike and honourable!
Tailpiece.
Asaduddin Owaisi, the MP from Hyderabad, has now come up with the meanest. According to him, the late President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was not a good Muslim because he recited the Bhagwad Gita and was a vegetarian! How low can one get? He doesn't realise as to how ignorant he is.
Whatever be the political differences between the treasury benches and the opposition, they could have been discussed on the floor of the house, scoring points and counterpoints on such an occasion. That would have set a worthy precedent of a mature democracy and would have been the best take away for any visitor in the gallery! Instead, the previous three weeks of hooliganism was on display as a continuing pantomime. The cackling that followed when the Chairman, Rajya Sabha hoped 'that the visiting delegation would learn the way we carry out our parliamentary affairs' - according to me, did two damaging things apart from letting the nation down and showing themselves as a bunch of unruly schoolkids viz.:-
(a) showed disrespect towards the guests when we pride ourselves with, "Athithi devo bhava."
(b) showed scant regard to the stature of the chairman of the house.
I happened to watch the prime time news that covered it with the right amount of seriousness and must frankly admit that the people who defended the pettiness were probably doing so, firstly, because they'd no choice as they're deputed to be their party's spokesmen and secondly, they're under the misguided notion that they would squirm their way through to their leader's good books by a spirited(?) performance on the show. What astonished me was that the protagonists were young MPs - wonder whether this is a taste of things to come, petulant and vindictive!
Consider some of the points put up in defence of their boorish behaviour (I've put my counters to each point in highlighted italics):-
(a) The ruling party, while in opposition, had done it 19 times to a host of foreign delegations.
Are you trying to tell us that vendetta will be the order of the day? We'd like to surpass the
number 19 to get even with them.......is this what is being purported? Why can't you show
some grace by differing from them on behaviour?
(b) Keeping the current logjam in Parliament in mind, the delegation should not have been brought
into the house.
As an MP, you should at least be knowing that visits like these are planned well in advance
and the detail programme prepared so that there's no cause for any embarrassment. Every
aspect goes like clock work except for some exceptional circumstances! Invitations aren't
exchanged overnight, please!!
(c) The Parliamentary Affairs Minister is inefficient because he'd not reached out to the opposition.
Let's, for argument's sake, agree to this logic and concede that the minister had goofed it
up but why did you've to show pettiness by indulging in unparliamentary behaviour?
My take.
(a) There's no way that the boorish behaviour in parliament can be justified. It's simply deplorable, shameful and unacceptable!
(b) The monsoon session of parliament is a washout. How'll the lawmakers justify to their countrymen about not having transacted any business? Will they draw their perks, allowances and salaries for this disruptive session?
I hang my head, in shame, for having elected representatives who aren't statesmenlike and honourable!
Tailpiece.
Asaduddin Owaisi, the MP from Hyderabad, has now come up with the meanest. According to him, the late President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was not a good Muslim because he recited the Bhagwad Gita and was a vegetarian! How low can one get? He doesn't realise as to how ignorant he is.
No comments:
Post a Comment