Democracy – Should we
continue with it ?
- Puthige R Ramesh
India is worlds largest Democratically ruled Country. Will our children
and grand children too will be having this proud joy or will they say “Once
upon a time India was
worlds largest
Democratically Ruled Country”.
Our
Constitution is the most sacred book of the Country and it is a strong
foundation over which the rights of the people are decided. It starts with
noble words “ WE THE, PEOPLE OF INDIA, HAVING SOLEMLY RESOLVED TO CONSTITUTE
INDIA INTO A SOVERIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC……….”. Unlike our neighboring countries, our
Constitution has withstood onslaught on it for the last 70 years.
What
are the basic features of our Constitution:
1.
Citizens enjoy 22 types of rights known as Fundamental Rights which
cannot be tinkered by the
Government in power.
2.
Government has 26 types of duties
3.
Citizens too have certain duties listed in Art.51A of the Constitution.
4. As
regards, governance is concerned, we have the Central Government at
National level and the State Government at the State level. Distribution
of works amongst them is spelt in Seventh Schedule of the Constitution
by classifying the powers under three heads – Union List, State List and
Concurrent List.
5. Judiciary
is taken care through Constitutionally established Courts as well
as Courts both handing civil and criminal disputes right from Taluka
level.
6. Union
and State Government are run by a person to head such Governments
upon being called to do so by the First citizen of the Country viz. His
Excellence
the President of India. President invites a person only after a party is
voted to
power in an election conducted in this regard and such party reposes
confidence
in a particular person and elects him as its leader.
7. Aforesaid
election are conducted by an independent agency known as Election
Commission of India whose rights are protected
in the Constitution.
As
regards governance, what we can notice is that there should be an election conducted
across the Country and in such election all eligible countrymen are entitled to
participate both for contesting the election as well as to elect a person who
has contested in the election. The elected persons then elect a leader who will
head the government after being sworn in as such by the President/Governor as
the case may be.
Let
me now just examine as to what is the cost involved in running the Parliament.
1.
The “official” Election Commission figure is that 2009 elections involved an
expenditure of Rs 1120 crores.
2.
After a 2010
hike, a Member of Parliament gets Rs 50,000 per month as salary, Rs 45,000 as
constituency allowance, Rs 45,000 as office allowance which totals to Rs 1.4
lakhs a month. When Parliament is in session, an MP will be entitled for daily
allowance too. In addition to these expenditure, there are other necessary
expenditures such as free petrol, free
telephone calls, free housing, furniture, electricity, laundry, travel,
pensions, subsidized food etc. On a rough
estimate, the expenditure involved over an MP is around Rs 3.5 lakhs a month,
0.42 crores a year. We have 543 MPs and as such expenditure on them comes
to Rs.228.06 Crores per year or Rs.1140.3 for a term of 5 years
4. Government is also required to set
apart Rs. 2 crores a year as MPLADS. This total to Rs.1,086 crores per year or Rs.5,430 for one term of 5 years.
5. Thus the total expenditure for 5 years in
conducting an election and meeting the expenses involved in having 543 MPs is 1120 + 1140 + 5430= 7690
Crores.
6. The above figure is in addition to
maintenance of Parliamentary Secretariat.
I
have absolutely no quarrel on the money spent for having an effective democratically
elected Government because through effective discussion and debate of 543
Members of Parliament who collectively represent 130 Crores of Indians, the
Bills tabled by the party in power gets analyzed before it becomes a law.
Excellent procedure contemplated and followed
by our Parliamentarians. That’s why I feel proud to say that I am a
Citizen of World’s largest Democratic Country.
Alas
what is happening now. It is disgusting. Bills that are debated by our representatives
in Parliament are then debated in public. Invariably, such debates are one
sided views. Shocking thing is that the Hon’ble Members of Parliament who
participated in debates within the four walls of Parliament openly side with
agitators throwing to winds what all that transpired in a legally permitted
manner. Sad part of it is that many of these agitations are invariably led by
those who never contest an election or those who have lost the election many a
times losing their Security Deposit.
In
other words, what is happening now is that an Enactment made after discussion is once again
placed before the Public in agitations set up by busy body. If this is the
state of affair then why do we require a Parliament? Let there be one person to
rule the Country and all his actions can be discussed on road side platforms.
It may look absurd but what else can I say if Parliament’s dictates are ignored
and side lined?
Puthige
R Ramesh
Your article is so good to read waiting for the next update. Keep updating.
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