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Friday, May 28, 2004

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A challenging task: Somnath Chatterjee

By Marcus Dam

KOLKATA, MAY 27. Somnath Chatterjee, who is only a few days away from becoming the Speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha, is not quite sure why the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, while congratulating him shortly after the CPI(M) Polit Bureau gave its nod to the Congress offer for the post, said over telephone from New Delhi, "Now I shall have peaceful nights... I am sure you will be a good Speaker." What Dr. Singh "probably meant was that he would have less to worry in the House," Mr. Chatterjee said.

Sharing some of his concerns in his "first real interview to a newspaper," Mr. Chatterjee told The Hindu here today that, "it is a tragedy for India that after 50 years of parliamentary functioning the question of criminalisation of politics has become, in a sense, a very live issue." He regretted that "as a whole, somehow we [those in politics] are not attracting people with clean records but those indulging in various activities which got them to be on the wrong side of the law... Was this why people were losing faith in Parliament," he wondered. "If so, this is a very dangerous trend."

He said: "Politics today has become a matter of give and take, of muscle and money power... being reflected in our representatives." It is not only that "such people are coming into politics but benefits were being given to them also. They are getting into positions of power. If issues of urgent public concern such as peasants committing suicide out of penury are not properly reflected in the House then what is the House there for."

Asked about the live telecast of zero hour in the House, Mr. Chatterjee said: "The argument is that if that is done the people will have a bad impression [of the members]." He, however, is all for the telecasting. "Let them [the people] have a bad impression if it must come to that. Is it our job to behave in a manner where people will be left with such an impression," he asked.

The job that awaits Mr. Chatterjee is "both very daunting and challenging." "Unfortunately, politics in India has become more confrontational than being a method of taking the country ahead. Such confrontation always takes shape and has its effects on both the Houses. My task [as Lok Sabha Speaker] will be to try to steer clear of this," he said.

"But there is no magic formula for conducting proceedings in the House... Lately, the somewhat critical references made from certain quarters to MPs, which have cast a shadow on the very integrity of Parliament, is very unfortunate. For me, there is no greater forum than the House of People. What needs to be done is that the accountability to the people of the Government should be properly exercised in the House." This, according to Mr. Chatterjee, would be difficult "unless the Speaker has the confidence of all in the House and there is reciprocity."

His work is cut out for him. "The Speaker should respect all the members of both the big and small parties. None should feel gagged or throttled. Nor feel that the Chair is not looking at you." But as he warms up to the task ahead Mr. Chatterjee, who confided that he initially "was very very uncertain whether I am suitable and mentally capable for the job," is very well aware that things will no longer be the same for him.

"From being a spokesman of the party [CPI(M)], I will now have to become a speechless speaker," he said. "The BJP leader, Vijay Malhotra, called me up the other day to say `I am a very happy man now that we will be spared your onslaught... ' Jyoti Babu, too, was initially not inclined to my taking on the post, arguing that I should continue to do what I have been [as leader of the party in the Lok Sabha]. But subsequently he called me to say that he had withdrawn his objection."

The Polit Bureau deliberated the Congress offer "and even as the people were getting somewhat impatient, the call came from Buddhadeb Bhattacharya telling me that the Polit Bureau had agreed in entirety that I should be taking up the post," Mr. Chatterjee said. Since then, "for the past 36 hours, my home has turned into a virtual market for bouquets. I feel so humbled and overwhelmed."

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