July this year, in two landmark
judgments, the Supreme Court had ruled that jailed persons could not contest
elections and a convicted politician was to be immediately disqualified. It
sent shockwaves in the political fraternity, for future of many politicians, many
big names including existing members of legislative bodies, was in imminent
danger. But they had a clear ray of
hope, a certain way out of the abyss, in their political brethrens.
In August, the Rajya Sabha, the
upper House of the Indian Parliament, unanimously passed a proposed amendment
in the Representation of the People Act 1951 (RP) to negate a landmark Supreme
Court order that could have brought fundamental (and desperately required)
improvements in the conduct of the political class. But, somehow, the amendment
act could not be passed in the Monsoon Session of the Parliament due to the
sustained ‘political’ pandemonium, over this or that issue.
It had to come down to the Lok
Sabha. It was supposed to be discussed by the enlightened wisdom of the
political parties on the floor of the Lok Sabha. That was, once again, supposed
to be a decorative sham, as it was their collective wisdom only that had it
passed unanimously in the Rajya Sabha. Even the political furor over the
ordinance route now is nothing more than a sham. Had it not been the case, the
amendment bill could not have passed the Rajya Sabha hurdle.
The Winter Session of the
Parliament (coming November-December) was supposed to be the time for the final
execution in this episode of subversion of democratic values in India’s
democratic evolution.
But, suddenly, within three weeks
of the Monsoon session of the Parliament, the Congress led UPA government
yesterday cleared an ordinance to shield the convicted of the political lot.
And it should not be surprising
at all. What is surprising is it could not be passed in the Monsoon Session
after all the political bonhomie. After all, all politicians are similar under
the skin they had shown once again by ensuring the unanimous passage of the
amendment act in the Rajya Sabha.
But its timing worries like most
of the acts of the Indian political theatre. It is ominous for the democratic
spirit of the country. The ‘fact’, that it was not unexpected or it is not
surprising, makes its even more menacing.
Reports say the decision in a
Fodder Scam case where Lalu Yadav is an accused is just one week away. Only
last week, a court convicted Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rashid Masood in a
corruption and sentencing is due.
Whether reasons like these played
any role pushing the UPA government to bring an ordinance so early may be
debatable but the intent is always clear – it was to undermine the guiding
spirit of the Indian Constitution envisioned by its framers.
And if it is timed to work for
reasons as reported, it shows how irresponsible the existing political class
has become to the democratic values.
This frequent audacity, the
recurrent brazenness of the political class to change or co-opt anything that
is coming in its way is threatening the democratic structure of social weaving in
the country.
The practice was always there but
it has grown at a deafening pace in recent times. The ordinance to shield the convicted
politicians is just yet another democratic casualty.