Speaker's Ruling on Rule 184 in Nuke Deal Debate Only Shows: How Impotent our Parliament (or Indian Democracy/Republic) is

Yesterday, i.e. on Aug 17, within only 2 days after the 'Independence Day' celebration, the Honourable Speaker of the Parliament issued an interesting ruling during the debate on Indo-US nuclear pact. The opposition NDA led by BJP wanted to discuss the issue according to Rule – 184, which means a voting “for” or “against” the pact signed by the Govt of India after the debate. The Speaker ruled against that.

We know that the shrewd and cunning, power-hungry and foreign-investment-friendly CPIM and its left allies will not vote against the govt, will only stage ‘walk-outs' to show its anti-imperialist stance while not actually resisting pro-imperialist policies by voting against a Congress led govt. They even announced this decision of theirs overtly. These pseudo-lefts have done this trick again and again in history, particularly during the minority Congress Govt in the early 1990s. That time they didn't vote against any steps of the New Economic Policy, which was an imperialist dictated policy of taking measures commensurate with Globalisation; rather they always staged “walk-outs” just prior to voting. And publicly they espoused their duplicity or in their words ‘compulsion' stating, “otherwise the greater evil Hindu fascist axis of BJP will form govt”. So it is natural for them not to vote against any anti-people measure of Congress led UPA govt if there is even a tiny chance of the govt getting defeated in the parliament. Moreover, during a so-called ‘anti-imperialist rally' in their ruled West Bengal against Joint-Indo-US-Air forces-Exercise the CPIM State Secretary and Left Front Convenor Mr Biman Bose did not forget to mention that “US capital is welcome, not US imperialism” — a mockery in the name of Marxism-Leninism, as every student of Lenin's writings know that Capital of the Capitalist-turned-Imperialist country is the economic basis of Imperialism, its military and political manoeuvres. So the ‘anti-imperialism' of CPIM is certainly a drab ritual, void of any real fight against imperialism.

Hence even if the debate would be held according to Rule – 184 there would be no danger of the Congress led UPA govt; the ‘left' parties would save the govt by abstaining the vote. But the Honourable Speaker, a CPIM top-notch leader, did not let that happen by his queer ruling, and forced the “people's representatives” to debate under Rule – 193 that doesn't allow voting! And his arguments are curious too. He said that the govt is sovereign in matters of international relations and house cannot discard any pact or deal signed by the government with govt of any other country!! In the language of report of Times of India (18.8.07): the speaker made it clear that Parliament had “no competence” to decide on the operationalisation of an agreement signed with a foreign country and hence a voting could not be permitted. And further we find: The Speaker said that the government had the “sovereign” power and “unrestricted” right to enter into any treaty or agreement like the deal.

Those of us who thought that ‘democracy' or ‘republic' in real terms means the people are the sovereign were taken aback by this ruling. According to the ruling of the Speaker of India's Parliament the people and even their representatives, MPs, and their house, the Parliament have no competence to decide the fate or actualisation of any agreement signed by Govt of India with any govt of any country! And necessarily it also means (or hints) that the govt can sign any agreement, pact or deal with foreign governments without accepting the views of the majority of the parliament just because “ the government had the “sovereign” power and “unrestricted” right to enter into any treaty or agreement like the deal ”!! So what for people will vote and send MPs – just for debating issues knowing fully well that the govt may just give a damn to the felling even of majority of the parliament? Is this worthy to be named a democracy or republic!! This only shows how shabby, shallow, sham and superfluous the ‘democracy' or ‘republicanism' is in India; and also shows the necessity of establishing real democracy, real republic in a revolutionary way. So the Speaker may deserve or demand thanks for exposing the true nature of republic or democracy of India to the workers and peasants.]

go to top

Home Page >> Development(!), Gender Questions Ecology, General, & Misceleneous >> Speaker's Ruling on Rule 184...