Supremacy of Parliament

Advocates of Congress Party are now talking of Supremacy of Parliamentary system and principles of Democracy and preaching sermons to Team Anna to respect the dignity of Parliament. “
SauChuhe Mar Kar Billi Haz Ko Chali” This old proverb is fit to portray the real character of Ruling Congress Party.

Media men who are close to ruling party are also pleading for Congress Party on the same line to belittle and to tarnish the image of movement against Corruption launched by Team Anna. I specifically say that debate organizers on some of TV channels like NDTV are working as agents of ruling party to attack on popularity of Team Anna Movement and to divide the Team Anna or to blame Team Anna.

Everyone knows, elected representatives use most of precious time in mudslinging against each other, throwing chairs, using abusive words against members of opposite sides, sleeping in Parliament , remaining absent from Parliament, forcing adjournment, causing frequent interruptions and seldom participate in Debate on a bill in Parliament. Eighty percent of Parliament man hours are spoilt in protest or boycott or in slogan shouting. Hardly 10 percent of MPs actively take part in discussion on any bill. Most of crucial bills are passed by Parliament without any debate and discussion.

It is only when Parliament failed to perform as per expectation of common men that the movement of Team Anna and that of Ramdeo got so much public support. It is due to non performance in Parliament that Team Anna had to call for debate at Jantar Mantar to send the message of common man to Parliament.

None of tactics applied by flatterers of Congress Party or by that of TV channels can success in their malicious intention and there is no doubt to me that sooner or later ruling party has to succumb to movement of Team Anna and that of Ramdeo.

Here I would like to mention that total eight sessions including current winter session of fifteenth Parliament have taken place. Following facts about working of Parliament is enough to speak about Non use of Parliament for effective discussion on vital issues. Bitter statistics about functioning of Parliament will prove that the talk of Supremacy of Parliament talked about by politicians is nothing but Nonsense and total Bakwas.

During eighth session which commenced from Ist of August 2011, 26 sitting have taken place and Parliament functioned for a total of 104 hours. Total number of hours lost in disruption and forced adjournment is 51 hours.
Similarly 25 hours were lost in 7th session; 124 hours were lost in sixth session and altogether 373 hours were lost in boycott, interruptions and forced adjournment. Parliament could function hardly for 800 hours in it entire tenure ( fifteenth Lok Sabha).

More than 50 percent of MPs do not attend Parliament and more than 80% of MPs do not actively participate in proceedings. More than 90% of Bills are passed without debate and discussion. More than one third of MPs are from criminal background and they do not have any inclination to respond to Parliamentary queries. More than 50 percent of MPS who remain present in Parliament either sleep or act as per whip of their party High Command. In such position how can one imagine of healthy discussion on vital issues in Parliament. This is the root cause that even after lapse of forty years and even after referring the matter of Lokpal to Standing Committee the Parliament could not pass the Bill on Lokpal in Parliament. It is elected representative called as Member of Parliament who have tarnished the name of Parliament and who have exhibited indiscipline and misuse of Parliament and it is they who have denigrated the supremacy of Parliament by their non performance.

It is only when tolerance limits of common men crossed and when Ramdeo and Team Anna came forward to lead the movement against Black Money and rampant corruption that the government has started treating the issue of corruption as an issue.

As such I condemn media, politicians and specially MPs who accuse Team Anna of denigrating the status of Parliament and I hope these learned scholars will introspect and admit the bitter truth that Parliament has for all legislative purposes has stopped functioning . It is non performance of MP and that of Parliament that common men have come on road to debate the vital issues like that of corruption, right to recall, freedom of speech etc.