The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : BJP and the Speaker

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 26, 2006

Opinion

Opinion - News Analysis

BJP and the Speaker

Neena Vyas

It is anybody's guess why the BJP picked on the Lok Sabha Speaker and threatened to bring a no-confidence motion against him.

THE BUDGET session of Parliament ended on Wednesday on an ugly note that did no credit to the Opposition. Parties were expected to show unity at least on the issue of contempt of Parliament, especially when derogatory remarks were made against the Lok Sabha Speaker. Instead, partisan politics of the worst kind was witnessed with the Bharatiya Janata Party declaring it would consider bringing a no-confidence motion against Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

What led to the BJP continuously raising slogans against the Speaker, charging him with behaving like a Hitler and indulging in dadagiri (bossism)?

To briefly recall the facts of the case: on August 4, 2005, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee gave notice for an adjournment motion on "infiltration in West Bengal and the North-eastern region." The Deputy Speaker in the Chair told her it could not be admitted as the Speaker had disallowed it since the matter was the subject of an adjournment motion nine days earlier. On July 26 in the same session, Parliament had debated and defeated through a vote an adjournment motion on "failure of the Government to protect the eastern borders of the country against massive illegal immigration from Bangladesh."

Rule 338 of parliamentary procedure says: "A motion shall not raise a question substantially identical with the one on which the House has given a decision in the same session."

But Ms. Banerjee did not abide by the Chair's ruling. She came to the well of the House, threw some papers in the direction of the Chair, and caused a commotion.

The same evening, that is, August 4, Subhash C. Kashyap, former Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha, said during a television show: "Such incidents have taken place in the past also. Well, it has a personal aspect also, which should not be forgotten. When Ms. Banerjee was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time, she had defeated a personality like Somnath Chatterjee. Therefore, it has a personal aspect. The other thing is Ms. Banerjee is such a leader who is challenging the Communist government in West Bengal for the last so many years..."

After Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Hannan Mollah gave a notice of privilege, the matter was referred to the Committee of Privileges and its final report was tabled in the Lok Sabha on May 19. The Committee unanimously found Mr. Kashyap guilty of breach of privilege as he had "cast reflections on the impartiality of the Speaker in the discharge of his duties ... by imputing motives to him." It recommended that Mr. Kashyap be admonished. The Lok Sabha did this through a resolution moved by the House this Tuesday.

The Chairman of the Committee of Privileges, Kishore Chandra Deo, said: "Kishan Singh Sangwan, BJP MP was one of the five MPs who attended the last meeting when the report was finalised. Yes, the earlier circulated draft report was changed through consensus among all members present. There was not even a whimper from Mr. Sangwan, let alone any word that he did not agree with the recommendation of admonishment. In fact the Committee discussed whether it should use the harsher word `reprimand,' but settled for `admonishment.' Mr. Sangwan was at the meeting till the end. He even stayed for tea served afterwards."

Four BJP MPs were members of the Committee, but three remained absent although notices were sent and telephone calls made to their residences, Mr. Deo added.

Instead of finding fault with its MPs for dereliction of duty and not attending the parliamentary committee meeting or not taking a proper brief on what should be done from their leaders, the BJP blamed the Speaker, who had no role in the working of the Committee or in the bringing forward of the resolution.

BJP Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra was informed on Monday night by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi that the resolution was on the next day's agenda. Mr. Malhotra agreed that Mr. Kashyap should be admonished but not called to the bar of the House for a reprimand. The Government apparently agreed to that and re-drafted its resolution.

However, the BJP decided at its Tuesday parliamentary party meeting that it must be aggressive towards the Speaker. That led to the all-out attack. When Mr. Malhotra later alleged that "rules had been violated" he was asked which rule had been broken. His response: "This is not the House that I have to tell you which rule was violated." The BJP publicly demanded that the report be withdrawn and sent back to the committee for reconsideration. Once again, rules do not permit this. It is for the House to "agree or disagree or agree with amendments" to the recommendations made by the Committee brought as a resolution by the Government.

It is anybody's guess why the BJP picked on the Speaker and threatened to bring a no-confidence motion against him. There was no visible support for the BJP from its National Democratic Alliance partners. Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav went so far as to say that Mr. Kashyap was in the habit of talking loosely and that he deserved exemplary punishment.

Leaders across the political spectrum were aghast at the BJP's behaviour towards the Chair. Those who have been attending Parliament sessions for three to four decades say they have never before heard the kind of abusive language used by BJP leaders against the Speaker on the last day of this budget session.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail