‘What the Church & School needed, we provided’ - Therattil

The Catholic community of Kalina badly needed a beautiful access to the Church and School.  The question that was left unanswered for long was - A new entrance to the Church, the School, an entrance keeping in time and tune with 2010’s needs.  We all know that for many decades a shop existed just outside attached to the OLEP church/school gate, selling unhygienic and non-essentials. A shop that threw a spanner in all of BMC’s plans.  It stood in the midst of school programmes, church festivities, processions, free movement of school buses, school children activities and was an eye sore.  The School, the Church, the mighty and the meek all wanted its removal, but the shop managed to challenge the powers, and overcame several odds to remain unfazed, and posed a challenge to everyone.  People were resigned to our fate and for several decades accepted our fait accompli.  But ultimately their prayers were answered. During conversations immediately after Mrs. Alice Johnson Therattil became BMC Corporator of Ward 84, she and her husband Mr. Johnson G Therattil, both regular visitors to the institution were against the shabby entrance to these glorious Institutions, on several occasions they asked the authorities if both of them could serve the School and Church’s special needs.

And lo and behold – the shop, the eyesore, dominating the entrance, became the focal point once again as a thorn to the Institution. However, they got an assurance from the Therattils that they would help to remove this thorn that has been causing a nuisance to the institution.  Their sentiments were upbeat – the scenario changed - from the depths of despair and depression to a sea change in the approach – they had assured the shop’s life was but short-lived.

Soon, action took its root and all the concerned authorities - the traffic police, the corporation personnel’s and all seemed to spell the death knell for the shop owner who was adamant.  And on 27^th March 2010, the shop was ultimately and finally demolished.  The hard work and persuasion of the Therattils brought results. A wish had been fulfilled.

Disqualified Corporator continues to use identity on banners!

After the last BMC elections, 15 corporators had been disqualified for having produced fake caste certificates. Almost four years on, the wards of 14 of those leaders have new corporators, who had either finished second in the 2007 BMC elections, or won by-elections subsequent to the disqualifications.The ward that remains without a corporator is number 86 in Santacruz East. Shiv Sena’s Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, disqualified, appealed in High Court that ruled in his favour, before the matter became the subject of litigation again. Indeed, all 15 corporators had gone to court, asking for a stay order on a BMC scrutiny committee’s findings. Some of them had moved the court of small causes; others had approached the Bombay High Court directly. While the cases were in court, the corporators did not have the right to attend the BMC’s house and general body meetings, and had no voting rights. Suspended members will not be able to attend any meetings of BMC, make any decisions, use their funds or partake in any civic activities. They will also not be liable for the honorarium from the civic body.  After Mahadeshwar’s election, his Congress opponent Suryavansh Thakur had filed a case against him in the court of small causes alleging inconsistency in his caste certificate. The Bombay High Court stayed the by-election to ward 86 in Santa Cruz (Golibar to Vakola Bridge) following a petition by Congressman Suresh Thakur that he be declared elected since Shiv Sena corporator Vishwanath Mahadeshwar had been disqualified for submitting a fake caste certificate. Earlier, Rafique Sheikh, another Congressman, was declared elected from ward 85 Santa Cruz (Kalina to Bharat Nagar in Bandra-Kurla Complex), after the disqualification of Samajwadi Party corporator Lalji Yadav was upheld by the court. Sheikh, who had lost to Yadav by 150 votes, had appealed to the court to declare him elected and also prevented a by-election in the ward. 
Mahadeshwar, who was also a standing committee member, had been disqualified by the Konkan commissioner, which scrutinises caste certificates, after it found that the certificate submitted at the time of the civic elections in February was fake. Mahadeshwar had challenged the decision in the high court which upheld the disqualification. In August, he approached the Supreme Court, which refused to intervene. 
Similarly, the fate of Mahadeshwar Pandurang, Shiv Sena (accused of submitting fake caste certificates) and Suresh Thakur, Congress has been in the courts for almost four years. Mahadeshwar Pandurang who was declared winner was challenged by Suresh Thakur in the Courts. After fighting a long-drawn legal battle in courts challenging Mahadeshwar Pandurang’s fake caste identity the matter has finally reached the tip of the ice-berg. Suresh Thakur while speaking to Santacruz Patrika clarified and said, “Caste certificates of Vaishyawani and Kulwant Wani under OBC has been dismissed by the High Court and orders passed to remove from OBC.” He further added, “Mahadeshwar Pandurang had appealed for a stay but the HC pronounced an order dismissing the caste certificate of Mahadeshwar.”  However, while speaking to Santacruz Patrika, Mahadeshwar Pandurang clarified and said, “The HC came to a conclusion that the GR of 1995, 96 and circular of 2008 issued by the government was not proper and correct and accordingly the case was squashed.” I have done no wrong and submitted my caste certificates of Vaishyawani as per order. But if the court does not treat it as correct I have no say and have to respect the HC order. My elder brother and my son have got validity as Vaishyawani by the government and why I have been discriminated. The next recourse of action available to Mahadeshwar is to move the Supreme Court. And it is learnt that he has moved the Supreme Court challenging the order of HC. Mahadeshwar admits that the order of the HC of dismissing Vaishyawani from OBC is not a good decision. What will be the fate of employees employed under this category? What will be the fate of Medical, Engineering and various students who have taken admission as Vaishyawani under OBC? The order has put everyone’s fate at stake and will be challenged.However, in the tussle in courts the sufferers are the  people of the ward since they are without a corporator. They have no one to address their civic problems and grievances and the ward is left unattended. Pandurang Mahadeshwar was a corporator in the ward for only four months and was was disqualified sometime end July, 2007. However, it is alleged that Pandurang Mahadeshwar still keeps putting up hoardings with his photograph as a Municipal Councillor which is a violation of law and cheating the public. While speaking to the residents of TPS 3 they clarified that because there is no corporator in the ward, a lot of illegal hawker stalls have come up in the vicinity. This has spoilt the entire beauty of the area. There is nobody to listen to our woes. Similarly, a lot of illegal stalls and chawls have sprung up in Golibar. With the matter being dragged in courts, the electorates are the innocent who are made to face various hardships.

Digging of roads a nuisance to commuters at Vakola

A Fire Brigade, an emergency service provider held in the traffic jam at Vakola Bridge

Mumbai might aspire to be like Shanghai but all is not well in the Metropolitan City. The lifeline of the metro, its roads, is clogged due to the numerous spots that have been dug up. This results in traffic jams and adds to the commuters woes. Roads are dug up for various reasons. One such department excavating the roads is the storm water drains department (SWD). They are digging roads to replace age old pipelines, which is necessary. However, after their job is done they don’t bother to repair the roads properly. As a result of this, the roads in many places have sunk. Many parts of the road near Vakola and Kalina have been dug up resulting in total disarray of traffic and chaos amongst commuters. The signal at the Express Highway junction to Vakola Bridge junction has now become a choke up point. During the peak hour, you can be stuck here for hours.”

Especially, every evening many commuters are trapped in their vehicles for hours because of the work being carried out. Most people believe it is the lack on planning on the part of officials that is responsible. “I find myself late for work every evening because of the chaotic traffic jam that I encounter at the Vakola Bridge junction. The authorities should plan well in advance before undertaking any road work. Also once the work is done, the roads must go back to how they were. Leaving behind open ditches with red flags or twigs on them is unacceptable,” says an angered commuter.

In fact while speaking to Santacruz Patrika, a contractor who has taken up the digging of road for the extension of skywalk said, “We are hardly allowed to complete our work on schedule or at a stretch. Most of the time our work is either stopped by the BMC, MTNL, Reliance Infra or other telecom operators, prohibiting us to dig fearing their cables or pipes may get damaged. This inconvenience caused to the public cannot be taken care of.” Also an urban planner, thinks that most of the road works carried out are not well planned and executed properly. He says, “Heavy vehicles cannot run on all roads. When a road is being dug up, there should be a restriction on the kind of vehicles that should be allowed on the road. This can stop traffic from clogging up.”

Then there are other commuters who complain that the authorities just abandon the half worked on roads for months together. “The work at Vakola Bridge has been going on for more than eight months and has left a big ditch on the road. Besides, more than 50% of the road has been cornered by its equipments or has been fenced. This narrows the road leading to heavy traffic jam at the junction of Vakola Bridge. Nothing has been done about it and I don’t think anything will do about it soon. No one supervises the contractors, echoed an angered commuter.

However, it was in the evening that this reporter was held in the traffic jam for hours at Vakola Bridge. But the plight was that a Fire Brigade and Ambulance too were held at the junction for almost an hour. Despite continuously blowing the siren it went unheard as there was no way for an exit in the chaotic traffic jam. What will be the condition of a serious patient in an ambulance? It’s time the authorities work out a solution.

The bad condition of various roads in the city is because of the storm water drains department (SWD). The SWD is central agency and if they are digging up roads, it is the duty of this agency to make sure that the roads were as they were before this agency has passed on the repairing work to its own contractors. However, there is no one who supervises the work of these contractors. They just do their work and leave behind shoddy roads. Moreover, no department takes up the responsibility of maintaining the roads that they dug up. Most contractors who are hired to patch up the roads are not qualified to do so. The work that they do is just a show. We have taken up the issue with the authorities but no action has been taken. As a result of that the roads have sunk. It is the people who suffer in these circumstances. Replacing sewage pipelines is important but people should stop passing the buck. They should take responsibility and restore the roads to what they were before the work.

EDITORIAL

BJP’s Arun Shourie exposes the real face of BJP! A party of indiscrepancy…

BJP leader Arun Shourie has now exposed the real face of his party when in a TV interview, he made an honest confession that he was denied for being the lead speaker for Union Budget 2009 in Rajya Sabha at last moment because notorious corporate lobbyist Nira Radia successfully persuaded top BJP leaders to replace him with Venkaiah Naidu as the lead speaker so that party could take a more accommodating line on proposals that could help country’s richest industrialist Mukesh Ambani. Former NDA minister Arun Shourie has said he was replaced as a lead speaker in a budget debate over fears that he would oppose a proposal that may have benefited Mukesh Ambani, bring the BJP under glare at a time the party has been targeting the Congress on corruption. The statement also reflects how much Shourie and the BJP have drifted apart since the dramatic events triggered by the party’s defeat in the general elections of 2009. 
It is now clear that all political parties and alliances, whether in ruling or in opposition, dance to tune of rich corporate honchos because of their being funded through approaching lobbyists. In fact, party-based political system has collapsed in India, and the country needs a refined democratic form of governance which should be qualitative and not just quantitative free from domination of party-bosses. 
In a TV interview last week, Shourie had opposed the BJP’s insistence on a joint parliamentary committee probe into the recent scams, saying previous committees had achieved little and helped the government in pushing matters under the carpet. Asked if he had spoken on this to BJP leaders, he said: “Actually, I am hardly in touch with the party as a party now. There are good friends as individuals.” "I was asked to open the debate on the budget. I worked for one week to speak on the matter and at the last minute, after I reached the house I was told the previous night, Mr Venkaiah Naidu had decided to speak suddenly. Therefore, as he had been party president, he will speak first."Shourie said that that it was certainly clear from the tapes that the main aim for the last-minute replacement was for the BJP not to go strongly against a budget proposal which would favour RIL. 
Democracy survives on counter-rallying power. It survives when there are alternate sources of authority. But now those have joined hands. There is, what my friend (Union Urban Development Minister S) Jaipal Reddy has once called, an invisible government of India which is completely stable. The visible Government of India keeps changing, but that invisible government of India remains completely stable. That is the real danger because now the Opposition is no different from the ruling party, whichever is the ruling party. The influence of those puppeteers behind the scene works on both sides. As a result, no issue is pursued to conclusion. 
Don't you think the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) also has a lot to answer for in the current situation? I don't see the difference between the two. I feel they (the BJP and the Congress) are one party. They are jointly ruling. It is a dinner party. They meet at dinners. They meet socially. They decide on what has to be done about issues. It is all very cooperative behaviour. They (the BJP) are shouting (for a Joint Parliamentary Committee). They know that it will kill the investigation. A JPC will raise side issues and that is what both sides want. Because the corporates behind both sides are the same. They don't want the 2G spectrum investigation to proceed. If you see the bigger picture of 2G spectrum, it is a battle between the old operators and the new operators in telecom... That's why political parties are not taking up the issue of the Radia tapes. 
The CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) shouted about the tapes, but the next day the story came that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was dealing with Radia for the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation. Now can the CPI-M shout 'crony capitalism' in the same way? The problem is the homogenisation of India's political parties. All are becoming clones of each other. That means there is no counter-wheeling power any longer in the country. 

Why Modi is not appointing Lokayukta in Gujarat?
A Lokayukta is a body appointed to battle corruption in any state. It is surprising that a Lokayukta had not been appointed in the state of Gujarat for the past 7 years. For the past 7 years there is no ombudsman for the government of Gujarat. There is no one to expose corruption in Gujarat and there is no one to act on complaints. For the past 7 years, Narendra Modi can appoint tourism ambassador but not a Lokayukta. The Congress, even the governor has raised the issue in assembly and outside many times but no action on part of Modi. It could be concluded that Modi deliberately doesn’t want to appoint a Lokayukta because he wants to shield corrupt people in his government or perhaps because he himself is a corrupt man. If Narendar Modi will appoint Lokayukta in Gujarat State, all his political leaders of BJP will be booked under corruption which Modi doesn't want that his Ministers, Corporators go behind the bars? The Lokayukta's post is lying vacant since November 2003, which was when the last incumbent, retired High Court judge S M Soni stepped down. Soni was appointed Lokayukta during the Keshubhai Patel regime in 1998. In the absence of a Lokayukta; no one can lodge complaints of corruption against ministers, chairpersons and directors of the various government-owned boards/ corporations and elected representatives in local self-government bodies. After almost seven years, the Gujarat government has initiated the process of appointing a Lokayukta or ombudsman in the state. This information was provided by the state government to the Gujarat High Court following a public suit seeking the appointment to the post. Amit Jethwa had also spearheaded the campaign against corruption. It was on his petition that the HC directed the state government to complete the appointments within a stipulated time. He had also filed a PIL petition questioning the state government’s inaction over the appointment of Lokayukta. Because Amit Jethwa was fighting against the corruption in Gujarat he was murdered and eliminated.

OPINION

Why Maharashtra may end up as BIMARU state?
In one of my articles, last year, I had written about the pathetic condition of Maharashtra and the role of dirty, divisive politics which is going to ruin the state including Mumbai. It has been for a long time the tussle between the Shiv Sena and MNS for the cause of ‘Marathi manoos’ and “Aamchi Mumbai” has taken a heavy toll on the financial capital, Mumbai just to serve their political ambitions. Here are some facts: Most of the taxi and auto drivers of Mumbai hail from Bihar or UP. All the Jewellery and diamond business are mostly Gujaratis and Marwaris. Stock Exchange and commodity market are again dominated by Gujaratis or Marwaris. Large industries are owned by Gujaratis, Marwari’s or Sindhis. Automobile spare parts business is dominated by Punjabi’s, transport business by mix of Punjabis and Sindhis. Many of the top educational institutions are run by Christians. Then what are the Maharashtrian doing? What has Balasaheb and Raj done for Maharashtrians? These are the questions I have been asking? 
All through these years all these castes have been struggling and now Balasaheb and Raj want Mumbai on a platter and harps “Mumbai Aamchi”. All states that are fighting divisive politics have been ruined. So is the case of Maharashtra. The people do not have proper jobs, industrialists are afraid to set up factories because of ‘Goonda Raj’.In 1995-96 Maharashtra had the highest growth rate in the Country. Even in the late 1990’s the state continued to be in the top five. However, after Shiv Sena-BJP managed to taste power and Shiv Sena ruling the Municipal Corporation for the past 15 years, there is hardly any major development and the growth rate has slipped. The Municipal-run schools and hospitals are in pathetic condition. Roads are filled with potholes, taps are running dry, slums are mushrooming and illegal construction and encroachments are at its highest. Bribery and corruption is at its nadir. Government offices, Municipality and police are the most corrupt where no action will be initiated unless the officers palms are greased. Now, it’s time to stop digging at North Indians and think and work on development. Or it wouldn’t be surprised to see Mumbai slip amongst the bottom of BIMARU states. 

How can we entrust faith on our corrupt politicians?

Dear Frederick, well said about the total disastrous situation the country is now facing in the hands of the dirty politicians and the vested interests. Intrusion of corruption takes the energy, time and people’s money all washed away. Under the current pandemonium, how can the poor voters have faith in the rulers or the political party men? We have abolished "Privy purse", but still allowing private Purse".  Corruption seems to be in almost all the departments of State and Central Governments. Authorities are becoming brokers of the party wink. A kind of rowdy’s, hooliganism, uproar in the parliamentary functions, wastage of question hours and the poor attendance of the elected Representatives while on session. They all are paid salary, Bata allowances, special benefits like train air fares, MP development project money like all the things are not clear and the where gone where got concept is not known also. JPC, PAC, CAG, CBI, and Judiciary - all these protocols are absconding and will be available only for those and when they need. Law makers are becoming Law breakers. Total session in this winter has gone unfunctional. 
The situation seems to be worse and needs to amend total political and administrative as also the civic laws and social reforms, economic viability, industrial growth and agricultural developments, water and irrigation, natural calamity, external threats and terrorism, river water, dam project revamping, defence infrastructure, National Security, Reconstruction of Electoral Law... and so many.... have to be modified and strengthen to repledge our patriotism before the global arena.. Only time has to answer... Poor voters... silent observers. Thanks Frederick, for such sharing of the things concerning national importance.

Kalina Villagers protest to construction of toilet adjacent to Grotto

It was as late as 1959 when a sacred grotto housing Mother Mary's statue at Kalina Village was set up, where hundreds of devotees offer their prayers everyday. The grotto set up is adjoining the BMC toilets. While speaking to local residents, they told Santacruz Patrika, “More than 50 years ago the spot was used for dumping garbage. This used to create a lot of inconvenience to the residents of the village as the stinking garbage used to flow onto the entry passage to the village.” “Initially, we installed a small statue and villagers used to offer prayers. Later, as the garbage was an hinderance we renovated the grotto to beautify the area. Later, with the BMC four toilets creating an unpleasant environment we spent about Rs 32,000 and fully renovated the grotto.”

Now, it is understood that the BMC's plans to construct a public toilet through a builder, near the grotto. This has hurt the religious sentiments of the Christian community and they have raised a protest against public toilets near the grotto. "We have our annual feast of Mother Mary in September where thousands of Christians come to offer their prayers at the grotto. There Is a St. Thomas Church nearby where masses are conducted and a prayer meeting is held every evening.

The question that arises is – What is the need of a public toilet adjacent to the grotto? A angered villager to Santacruz Patrika, “When our entire village residents have their toilets indoors, we fail to understand the need of a public toilet? While investigating we learnt that one Akbar Quereshi had demolished a public toilet and constructed a two-storied building on the site near Wellcare Hospital. In order to get the occupation certificate (OC) for that structure, he had to fulfill the BMC's condition by constructing a public toilet. So, the builder is constructing it near the grotto.  Since his project has been stalled Quereshi has been desperately looking for a site to construct a public toilet. It was learnt that six months ago he had planned to construct a toilet near the demolished police chowkie at Jamblipada. But was stalled by the earlier corporator Rafiq Sheikh.

While speaking to Rafiq’s assistant, as Rafiq Sheikh is away on a pilgrimage to Haj, told Santacruz Patrika, “When Quereshi began constructing a toilet at Jamblipada, many villagers and shop owners came to our office to raise their protest. After visiting the site Rafiq Sheikh objected against the construction and got the work stalled.” Thereafter, while speaking to the local corporator Alice Therattil, she told this publication, “ I have also strongly protested against the construction of the public toilet by the builder. Initially, when he tried to construct a toilet near St. Mary Chowk I stopped the work. Later, when I came to know that he is constructing a toilet at Jamblipada, I strongly protested and sent out correspondence to all the concerned departments. Thereafter, inorder to prevent any illegal encroachment at that spot we fought for a bus stop and ensured that a bus stop came up at the spot for the benefit of my ward.” We have complained to ward officer," said local corporator Alice Therratil. However, when assistant commissioner, H(East) ward A Wagaralkar was questioned, he said, "I'm aware of this complaint. I'll inquire into the matter."Also, Alice Therattil clarified that when she visited the grotto along with Wagaralkar, there was no work being carried out of construction of a toilet. “However, the villagers assumed that a toilet is likely to be constructed adjacent to the grotto, which is totally false and baseless.” 

Further, while speaking to Crompton Texeira, Sarpanch of the village he told Santacruz Patrika, “We have learnt that the public toilet is being constructed adjacent to the grotto by a builder, at the request of the BMC's building proposal department, to legalize his own unauthorized structure. Confirming further he added, “ I have spoken to BMC in this regard and an officer who preffered to remain anonymous clearly stated that in consultation with the local corporator a public toilet is proposed to be set up adjacent to the grotto with doors facing outside and the toilets inside the BMC compound. This intimation I received a week ago that work is to commence.” Further, a resident too confirmed that labourers had come to carry out the work but we chased them away. However, Alice Therattil claims that she is unaware of any proposal for setting up a toilet near the grotto and all the allegations are baseless and maligned.

Lastly, while speaking to Santacruz Patrika, Ronnie Miranda who resides behind the grotto and BMC compound said, “The corporator should be more considerate towards the welfare of our villagers. The sewerage of the four toilets for BMC labourersin the compound every morning keeps overflowing and the stinking water flows into the village. And the only toilet for staff has its outlet to the mains. Because of the stink my wife had to be hospitalized of dengue.”

Now, there are many questions that remain unanswered: How was the public toilet opposite Wellcare hospital demolished and a building constructed? Has the building being constructed in all legalities? Before giving permission why was the spot for a toilet not determined? Santacruz Patrika in the near future will bring out a detailed and investigative story.

           

Stalling of Parliament, a shame on democracy 

Indian parliaments, both at the center and in the states, are characterised by repeated disruptions that appear to interfere with their ability to serve as forums for the translation of public sentiment into public policy. The question asked is “How can India be considered ‘the world’s largest democracy’ when parliamentary Institutions appear dysfunctional?”  If the legislatures of a country do not function properly, then that country is not a democracy.  India’s legislatures do not function properly. Therefore, India is not a democracy. This conclusion, though, contradicts the widely held belief that India is the world’s largest democracy. Parliament is the highest forum the people have chosen for voicing their views, and if they are silenced their democracy is silenced as much as it may be by a dictator. The virus of the discord which breaks out in that ‘well’ so often is spreading throughout the polity. It is depriving Indian democracy of its life-saving quality, that it has hitherto been consensual by nature.

In most countries where democracy has been smothered, only military dictators have dissolved and locked up Parliaments. Is the world’s largest democracy going to have the ignominy of its Parliament being shut down by veteran parliamentarians themselves? Paralysing House proceedings does not solve any problem. In the long run, it will only affect the credibility of Parliament as an institution. It is a disservice to democratic governance to bring Parliament to a grinding halt, paralyse its working and hold it to ransom unless demands, however justified, are met. If the institutions of democracy fail, democracy itself will fail.

The tactic of the BJP along with other Opposition parties in obstructing and stalling the Parliament proceedings is only a foul means adopted to achieve what they cannot achieve by fair means, apart from being a grossly undemocratic way of rendering a duly-elected and constituted Parliament dysfunctional. The second is to demonstrate power, by the ability to act forcefully. It seems to be an attempt to use the issue for a purpose other than its advancement. In this case, the stimulus is a pretext for the demonstration of power. Very few of the disruptions seem spontaneous, though some cases are more obviously carefully planned than others.

The Constitution secures to a Member of Parliament unfettered right to speak and vote but this is not a licence to interrupt or frustrate the proceedings of the institution rendering it powerless. The disruption of legislative bodies in India has changed the status of legislators and the popular view of legislative bodies. Today, Parliament and Legislatures create a new breed of heroes—the Well-rushing heroes, who hope to be elevated to instant national fame, straight from the Well of the House. The image which Parliament and the State Legislatures have projected on the public mind is one of disruption, indecorum, and shouting matches.” Democracy is the single most important achievement of independent India, a political miracle. We are among the few countries who have translated independence for our country into freedom for our people. Parliament is the symbol of that miracle. Parliament is the ultimate guarantor of the continuation and strengthening of our democracy. India does not have one authorized meaning of democracy, nor does it have any single set of practices that constitute ‘democracy’. Instead, democracy in India involves numerous claims and counterclaims, a bewildering web of contestations.

Ever since the United Progressive Alliance formed the government at the centre, the NDA is not able to get over its defeat and in the process has been acting like childish urchins and holding the nation to ransom. Defeat should be accepted in dignity and glory. Stalling the normal functioning of the House and abusive of the chair is nothing but a blatant subversion of democracy.  In democracy, the opposition by passing the Finance Bill without any debate or discussion amounts to a constitutional impropriety and a shame on Indian democracy. The most critical legislation, such as the budgets, gets passed, but often without debate. For example, a report on the 2001 Lok Sabha noted and opined that “The continued stand-off between the government and the opposition benches led to the travesty of parliamentary practice - the Railway budget was passed by a hurried voice vote – which was seen by many as a mockery of the Parliament, its main aims and procedures. Then was passed the Finance bill in the same way as the railway budget.”   These are simply examples of a trend. Regardless of whether it is or isn’t justified there is little doubt that such stalling of Parliament amounts to a grave abuse of the concept of democracy as Mahatma Gandhi had propounded it – a day of penance, self-introspection and soul-cleansing. The Gandhi premise was that acts of self-abnegation and renunciation in the face of others’ wrong doings would surely shame the errant side into reconsidering its decisions.

Unfortunately, denunciatory thoughts are furthest from the minds of the propents of the present boycott. Quite the contrary, the acquisitive instinct at its basest is at work here. It is of course, unexceptionable for citizens to harbour political ambitions. Opinions may differ, however, on the best to go about fulfilling such ambitions. The least one can expect is that the respective contenders clearly enunciate their political philosophies and take definite stands on points of principle. But in the confused milieu, clouded as it is by pernickety personality problems, principle has been relegated to the backseat. True the main debate centers on ‘tainted ministers’. But since there are no two opinions that crime and corruption are bad, there is no issue of principle here, which warrants a debate. Instead, the focus has been moved to debating whether specific individuals are guilty of crime or corruption. And in an impious situation where proof is as scarce as rhetoric is profuse, and biblical injunctions on casting stones stand brusquely ignored, tenets of morality, ethics and principle are natural causalities.

It must be made clear, of course, that all the players in the arena are equally guilty of gross malfeasance. Sobriety has been thrown to the winds. Dialogues are conducted through carp and bark instead of conversation. Standards of public conduct have truly reached their post-independence nadir. Nevertheless, all hope for propriety in public life is not yet lost. The recent sacking of Ashok Chavan, Raja and the likely arrest of Suresh Kalmadi is an eye-opener. But, the blackmailing of tainted Karnataka Chief Minister B.S Yeddyurappa, should make the opposition realize that they are no better. Earlier when in power BJP leaders L.K.Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi held crucial portfolios in the NDA government despite charge sheets against them in the Babri Masjid demolition case. It’s high time the opposition realises that one living in glass houses should not throw stones at others and instead respect the verdict of the people.

What we are seeing…is the biggest crime against democracy since Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency in 1975. Democracy is the lifeline of the whole system. Snap it, and the entire system will collapse, and that will hurt no one more than it will hurt the very people who need the system most. For them this is the only place where they can plead their case, lacking as they do the many other levers which others can use to bend Governments to their wishes.

People outside the Houses of Parliament actually ridicule the institution that it has become today. Is this the legacy that this current House wishes to leave behind? A legacy of indecency, of indecision and of inexcusable behaviour. One in which the focus is more on exchanging angry words rather than debating legislation? The general public at one time looked up to Parliament. It had what one would term social sanction. Today it suffers from social ostracisation. And that is something that will destroy this institution as time goes by, and this is what perhaps you need to stem. The consequence has been that the leaders have lost credibility. That a great deal of disruption arises from the reluctance and procrastination of the leaders to face the House on controversial matters. Growing criminalization of politics, corruption at all levels, absence of inner party democracy, the declining status and stature of members in public life, the growing cost of the electoral process, the ascendancy of party leaders are some other factors that have contributed to the decline of Parliament

Concluding, as noted, the skills required in a parliament where the ability to disrupt is highly valued are not the same as the skills required in a parliament where such an ability is not highly valued. An author rightly opined, “Our legislatures have ceased to be forums of the best and the brightest in the land. Instead, they have become the first refuge of scoundrels.” He cynically contended that “Before Independence we had great parliamentarians, but no Parliament. Today we have a grand Parliament House with grand allowances, but no parliamentarians. There is the story of Independence in two sentences.”