Parliament is meant for debate, scrutiny and accountability, not political theatre. Yet in the race to woo Gen Z, our lawmakers turned a serious issue into slogans, protests, and theatrics, wasting public money and precious legislative time. Young India does not need political drama. It deserves responsible leaders who work for people
For the past month, two words, accountability and Gen Z, have become the buzzwords for all political parties. Each one of them is under the mistaken impression that their acts and theatrics will make Gen Z their new vote bank. In the race for the vote bank, the country has lost about Rs 200 crore of public money and a full session of the monsoon session of Parliament.
What we saw was turning Parliament into a meme and a shameful act by the Congress party leaders, who are in their sixties, holding soft toys, shouting slogans like “56-inch ka chota bander, Jaldi aao Sadan ke Andar.” (The little monkey of 56 inches, come inside the House soon).
It was a lawmakers’ drama all through. Though disruption in Parliament is normal, it never became a habit and was never blocked for the entire session, not even during the Bofors scam. The opposition used to charge the government with corruption and furnished documents demanding a reply and resignation in one voice. But in the present case, it was insults and innuendos.
What started as a demand for accountability and education reforms ended with the team’s opposition hitting rock bottom and reforms taking a back seat. It was really shocking to see how the Congress spokesperson not only defended such low political discourse, but also remarked, “The country has a non-biological PM.” Such language is highly condemnable.
In the last 12 years, we have seen how the language used by parliamentarians and legislators has hit a new low both in the state assemblies and in Parliament. In Andhra Pradesh during 2019-2024, all kinds of innuendos were used, and in the Telangana Assembly between 2014 and 2023, and even now, irrespective of party, the language continues to be unsavoury.
It pains me to see the parliamentarians, who are elected representatives of the people who should speak and act on their behalf, have forgotten their basic responsibility and have given up accountability. The opposition, which had made so much noise leading to washout of monsoon session it appears were more interested in blocking some important bills like FRCA, delimitation bill, women’s reservation bill etc as it had realised that following the victory of BJP in West Bengal and the developments that followed like “backstabbing,” of DMK by Congress party and cracks in Shiv Sena Udhav Thackeray group as well as softening of stand by Sharad Pawar’s party, the government would be able to push through all the bills. This real intent was accepted by the Congress party after Parliament adjourned sine die when the opposition parties said they had successfully stalled these bills.
NEET reforms were just a cover fire, while the real game plan was to stall these bills, and if the present mood is any indication, the opposition would continue with the same strategy during the winter session as well. The Constitution of India has given us Parliament to discuss, debate, and frame new laws and policies, not to turn Parliament into a joke. There was no dearth of scams in the past, from the Dana chori (fodder scam) of RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, the 2 G scam, and coal scam during the previous regimes, but never was this kind of disruption and drama seen.
The government too had been slow in its reaction in reaching out to agitating students at Jantar Mantar and started its back-channel efforts in Parliament towards the end of the session but failed to achieve the desired results as the opposition, led by LoP Rahul Gandhi, said they want one-liner reply on who ordered opening of fire during the rally that turned violent at Jantar Mantar on July 20 and said that they do not want to hear the speech of Home Minister.
I have never seen Parliament functioning with one-liners. They were reluctant to put the government on the mat through discussion because they knew they would be facing an embarrassing situation.
There was police brutality in Keralam and the students in Jharkhand are on protest following the leak of the JSPSC question paper. The state government used force and registered cases against students under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, which pertains to attempted murder. The opposition parties that made so much noise over the Jantar Mantar rally have been silent on this issue.
Neither Rahul Gandhi nor other leaders have condemned it. Congress party says one cannot compare the Jharkhand issue with Jantar Mantar, as the police there were restrained and no pellet guns were used. They were only lathi-charged, the party claimed. It further said that 98 per cent of the students’ demands have been accepted.
But when a similar explanation was given by the Union Government regarding the Jantar Mantar incident, the opposition said the home minister should answer, and the PM must resign. While the students demanded a CBI probe, the Congress alleged that it was the BJP that demanded a CBI probe. The grand old party also says that it was the BJP that planted anti-social elements at the Jantar Mantar rally.
To top all the fiasco, the LoP on Thursday enacted a stage show during which he tried to explain India’s foreign policy by hugging Sandip Deekshit, son of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit, who made a sexist remark against the Italian Prime Minister Meloni. I don’t understand what was wrong with the PM giving a packet of Indian made chocolates to the Italian PM, who is of his daughter’s age. Italy is famous for chocolates, and perhaps Modi wanted to tell the people of Italy that we are no less in manufacturing melodies.
As Rahul hugged Deekshit, he joked back, asking the LoP if he was hugging him while imagining he was Meloni. Gandhi replied that he had not “reached that stage yet.” It may draw laughter and claps from the Congress cheerleaders, but such jibes are in bad taste and not in tune with Indian culture.
If the opposition really feels that the foreign policy of India is faulty, why not debate in the Parliament, corner the government, tear it to pieces, and suggest how it should be. MPs are elected to run the country in a proper manner, not to settle personal scores or give vent to their frustrations. The fundamental purpose of having a Parliament and Assemblies is to ensure that government is exercised with the consent, scrutiny, and participation of the people through their elected representatives. Their role is not street politics. Legislate and bring policies and laws after discussion. That is the primary job of law-making bodies like Parliament or Assembly.
The government is responsible to Parliament, and Ministers must answer questions from MPs, explain the reasons behind the decisions, and defend their policies. That is where the question hour, the zero hour, and short discussions play a vital role. But of late, all these are being thrown to the winds, and theatrics, protests outside the Parliament in the name of freedom of speech, and the right to protest are taking place.
It is time the Parliament brings in a bill saying that no salary or pension would be paid to the MPs if they disrupt the proceedings and stall the Parliament from functioning. The MPs need to be accountable to the people and have no right to waste taxpayers’ money. But the political parties remember people only on the eve of elections.
Rest of the time, they work to push their political agenda. This situation needs to change. It is time to give up the slogan of Gen Z first and foremost because it is an American word and the pronunciation itself is wrong. If they learn to be with the people and work for the people, the young voters will stand by them. Hope the political parties are listening.
(The author is former Chief Editor of The Hans India)
