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Democracy under threat in India

By Brij Bhardwaj. Dated: 3/24/2018 12:09:36 AM

How long democracy particularly parliamentary democracy can work, when democratic norms are thrown out of window, Parliament becomes non-functional and important legislation business like Finance Bill is passed without discussion by voice vote. A no-confidence motion is not taken up because there is no order in the House. Both Houses of Parliament meet at 11 a.m promptly to be adjourned within minutes with shouting from both sides including presiding officers and many in the well of the house.
In the shouting match nothing is heard and nothing goes on record, but it does not prevent members from drawing an allowance for attending session including other allowances which were recently doubled an issue on which both sides of Parliament showed remarkable unity. The funny part is that this logjam has continued for 14 days and no effort has been made to resolve the same.
The primary responsibility for running Parliament is with ruling party, but they have made no efforts so far. Normal measures like calling a all-party meeting, intervention by presiding officers or by Prime Minister as leader of the House in Lok Sabha have also not been used giving an impression that non-functioning of Parliament suits the ruling party. Some in opposition go to the extent of suggesting that the ruling party was encouraging some to disrupt the proceedings so that logjam continues.
The non-functioning of Parliament is not the only problem, we have also made a mockery of anti-defection law. Members are being encouraged to defect by providing them inducement like tickets to contest poll as well as offers of offices like ministership and even office of Chief Minister. In many states the ruling party in absence of clear majority induced members belonging to other parties to defect to build majority. Horse trading once looked down upon has become a norm.
The game of defection is played not only to form a Government but also to elect members to Rajya Sabha and legislative Councils. Such practices are encouraged by top leadership of the party. Some claim that modern practitioners of "Chanakya Niti" justify all forms of unfair practices to build majority and to topple Governments. In the process inducements including cash are freely used. One wonders what has happened to lofty principles of running a political party with difference.
Use of black money to finance elections is encouraged instead of being curbed. The list of major donors remain secret, equally true is of foreign donations. It is no secret that as long as black money remains a major source of financing election machinery in India it will not be possible to check parallel economy. So far no serious effort has been made in this direction. In the meantime the cost of fighting election continues to rise. Lakhs are spent on poll to local bodies and it rises to crores in case of State Assembly and several crores in case of Lok Sabha.
With cost of transport like Jeeps, trucks and buses rising every day while cost of hiring helicopters and planes for top leadering is touching the sky. There is no way the cost of fighting elections can come down.
In the meantime no time is found for discussing important issues like farmers distress who continue to be denied minimum fixed price for their produce. The assurances given to farmers rally by Maharashtra Farmers have made no difference on ground. Important issues like PNB fraud, situation on borders with China in north-east and with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir which has led to civilian causalities in large numbers are not debated.
It is time that political parties realise that fighting elections is not the only function for which political parties are formed, they also have to supervise the funcnning of the Government especially issues which threaten our nation like threats on border and serious crisis in banking sector with growth in non performing assets.
(Brij Bhardwaj is a veteran journalist and commentator)
—[IFS]