Opinion - Editorials   

For some decorous adversariality

The signs are unpropitious. In its opening session, the 13th Tamil Nadu Assembly saw the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rush down the path of conflict. Following acrimonious scenes on May 26, the day the Assembly began its deliberations on the Governor's Address, AIADMK members were suspended for the rest of the session for disrupting the proceedings. The provocation notwithstanding, the suspension of the whole lot for a whole session seemed excessive. Fortunately, on second thought, the House adopted a resolution limiting the suspensions to the end of the debate on the Governor's Address. But the gains from this conciliatory gesture initiated by Chief Minister Karunanidhi seemed offset by breach of privilege moves against the former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, and other AIADMK members. Even though it is clear that some AIADMK members took their protest to unacceptable levels — a mike was torn off its base and hurled at Congress members from the opposition benches — the statesmanlike course for Speaker R. Avudaiappan would have been to find ways to pre-empt further trouble within the chamber. Surely, parliamentary norms do not call for hauling up the Leader of the Opposition before the Privileges Committee for asserting that her party members were the victims, not the aggressors, in unparliamentary incidents. That the privileges of the Assembly were misused under the predecessor AIADMK Government is no reason for the DMK Government to follow suit.

Now that the spearhead of Tamil Nadu's political opposition, Ms. Jayalalithaa, has overcome her inhibitions and taken her rightful place as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, the AIADMK needs to realise, and act on, its responsibilities as a strong and resourceful opposition. No one expects any show of cordiality, but even in its adversarial role, the opposition is duty-bound to maintain decorum in the House. Those who would rather use the mike to hurt than to be heard have no place in a legislature. In ensuring the smooth conduct of the Assembly, Mr. Avudaiappan can look up to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, who has handled disruptive protests from members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress with good humour and moderation. From within the DMK, the late P.T.R. Palanivel Rajan, who was a firm and fair Speaker during 1996-2001, could be taken as a role model. Allowing live televised coverage could do a world of good for Assembly proceedings. Once the cameras are in place, legislative proceedings become transparent. The public can witness how their legislators behave; and judge who is the offender and who the victim when furious charges and, on occasion, lethal objects are hurled across the chamber. The essence of parliamentary democracy lies as much in ensuring democratic space for the opposition as in enabling the ruling majority to transact government business in orderly fashion. As the silver-tongued former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, C. N. Annadurai, once remarked — the Opposition shall have its say, and the ruling party its way.

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

Stories in this Section

For some decorous adversariality
High expectations and doubts
Arms control in a unipolar world
Energy conservation and house building
Corrections and clarifications
Speaking a common language
Left out — children with AIDS
Women celebrate, men sulk, over a ruling
Call off strike
Fallacious reasoning
Unfortunate

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu