Children, children

Look what Independence Eve brought to our representative chambers, from the most national to the more devolved. On Tuesday the Lok Sabha Speaker quoted the rule book and asked an MP to withdraw himself from the House on grounds of indiscipline. The municipal chamber in Delhi, meanwhile, had an inquiry ordered to establish the chain of events in a more physically unruly incident. India is sixty today, and the representatives of its people just cannot get by without stricter monitoring. From legislative chambers around the country, beginning with Parliament House in the capital, will certainly come reports of solemn ceremonies to mark attainment of freedom. But witness what transpires in these precincts on normal workdays, and it becomes clear how much growing up we still have to do.

The near impossibility over the last decade to get Parliament functioning with civility and attentiveness for more than a few days at a stretch is of particular concern. The institution is a key guardian of India8217;s sovereignty. That sovereignty is preserved by heeding Parliament8217;s purpose: to bring in the noise from the streets and countryside and filter it back to the people as a coherent articulation of policy as well as critique. This is why tension between the treasury and opposition benches is necessary, to charge the debate enough so that it is propelled forward, through the skilful moderation of the Speaker.

On this anniversary, it is time to ask if this whole process is getting subverted. Have our chambers become merely a place to assert electoral majorities? For others, have they become a symbolic space to mark one8217;s presence by loudly voicing opposition? If that had been the intent, simple headcounts in the town maidan would have been enough. Our pragmatic politicians should reflect on the ample evidence to the fact that votes are not won by behaviour in the House, but plenty are lost. It8217;s time to grow up, hon8217;ble women and men.