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Journalism of Courage
The manner in which the Rajya Sabha dealt with the Central Vigilance Commission Bill does not redound to the credit of its members. They knew that if the Bill was not passed before April 4, the commission would cease to exist from that date. They also knew that the government did not have the option to repromulgate the concerned ordinance till the House was prorogued.
Besides, they should also have known that repromulgation of ordinances in any case is not the ideal way to conduct government business as the Supreme Court had once pointed out in a celebrated case. As responsible members they should have ensured that the Bill was passed before the House was adjourned for a recess till April 12. Far from that, they created ruckus in the House forcing adjournment after adjournment. All this was ostensibly in the name of extracting a promise from the government on a full-fledged debate on the sacking of the naval chief, Vishnu Bhagwat. Actually, these are two different issues and should not have been clubbedtogether. But the Congress which believes in quid pro quo politics saw in the Bill an opportunity to bargain with the government. It is the second time in this session of Parliament that the Congress has misused the majority it enjoys in the Upper House to block the government from transacting its business.
It will be a body blow for the commission if the ordinance is allowed to lapse and it ceases to function. If, under these circumstances, the Congress behaviour lends credence to the charge that it obstructed the Bill8217;s passage to help some of its friends and benefactors whose conduct the CVC has been inquiring into, the party has only itself to blame. Needless to say, the Congress8217; conduct is contrary to its own promise of providing constructive opposition to the government and not work actively towards bringing it down.Nor is this in consonance with what the founding fathers of the Constitution had envisaged when they decided to have a second House for Parliament. The idea was to lend all legislative businesses the benefit of a second, considered opinion. It was not to let members create pandemonium for days together and obstruct the passage of important Bills and thereby keep government workin a limbo. It is all the more tragic that the party in the dock is one that has ruled this country for 45 years and knows, more than any other party, the nuances of governmental functioning.
