MyVoice: Views of our readers 20th December 2023

Suspension of MPs symptoms of ‘electoral autocracy’

We thought we were supposed to be living in a democracy in its true sense. The suspension of as many as 141 MPs, ostensibly for their ‘unruly behaviour’ and really for their insistent demand for a statement by the Home Minister on the security breach, was no great tribute to our parliamentary democracy. It was symptomatic of the country’s slide towards ‘electoral autocracy’. It has reinforced the perception and impression that democratic backsliding continues to accelerate in India. Suspending Opposition MPs for making a legitimate demand as a debate on the security breach made a mockery of the fundamental principles of democracy and was totally unfair and unacceptable. Purging the Parliament of Opposition MPs has the potential to trigger a political crisis. The Parliament cannot justify its raison de-etre without a deliberative process. An Opposition-mukt Parliament is not truly representative of the electorate as a whole. It is sad to observe that the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha are doing the government’s bidding instead of holding it accountable to the Parliament. Their political partisanship seems to prevent them from handling the situations that arise in the Houses with great sensitivity, delicacy and fidelity to the democratic spirit underpinning the Constitution.

G David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

II

78 members from opposition parties were suspended on Monday from the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour, and displaying placards and raising slogans over the Parliament security breach issue that is very shameful, deplorable and mockery of democracy. The total number of suspended MPs in this session to 92, both figures unprecedented in the history of the Indian Parliament. It shows that ruling party is so afraid. It seems that raising voice against crime is itself crime. Postponing such large number of MPs is like stopping and chocking The voice of the people.

Tauqueer Rahmani, Mumbai

III

Presently, Parliament witnessed most biggest procedure in history as evident from suspending whopping 78 Opposition MPs in a day for agitating in the House by entering the well, demanding statement from Home Minister on recent security breach in House. Whole episode is unfortunate incident wasting parliamentary hours and state exchequer is purely political gimmicks by both sides of ruling and opposition being two sides of same coin. Testing patience of sensible citizens.

B Veerakumaran Thampi, Thiruvananthapuram

IV

It is dismaying to note that Instead of acceding to the demand of the Opposition Parties to make a statement by the Home Minister, 79 MPs were suspended (Hans India Dt 19/12/23) from the both Houses of Parliament. This would further aggravate the agitation of the Opposition parties and this Winter Session of Parliament shall end up without transacting important business and crores of taxpayers’ money is again wasted. When the opposition MPs were ready for discussion, the parliament can function smoothly if only Home Minister makes a statement on security breach n the burning issues like inflation and unemployment must be discussed and decided in the larger interest of the people of India’.

Ganti Venkata Sudhir, Secunderabad

Free bus travel, autorickshaw drivers most hit

The TS women are happily utilising the free travel by bus facility .This has affected the 5 lakh autorickshaw drivers .All of them have uncertain daily earnings . The Chief Minister may be kind enough to consider these submissions .Limit the free tickets for women per bus to 50%. The other 50% seats become paid seats which provide income for TSRTC. In our city engage autos for picking the software employees by autos up to the metro stations. From Metro stations till their houses let the autos be engage. This saves lot of petrol as number of cars will reduce, Similarly, in villages let autos share some women load .Thus no body loses and all will be cheerful provided the auto drivers are compensated suitably.

G Murali Mohan Rao, Secunderabad