Special status

There is ample scope of confusion in the recent Supreme Court observation allowing prosecution of politicians. It appears as if any police i...

There is ample scope of confusion in the recent Supreme Court observation allowing prosecution of politicians. It appears as if any police inspector can prosecute any elected representative MP, MLA or minister of the country. There is no question of shielding anyone who has committed a crime, but still a system or defined procedure has to exist in dealing with representatives of our democratic institutions. How can you leave the fate of an elected representative in the hands of a police inspector? In case of a Union minister, permission for prosecution should be granted by the prime minister or president and for ministers in states, governors should give the go-ahead. In case of MPs and MLAs, speakers and chairmen of Lok Sabha/legislative assemblies and Rajya Sabha/legislative councils should be requested for permission. If setting such procedure is impossible for any reason, then at least a Lok Ayukta should be appointed.

Our high courts and the Supreme Court have received several complaints against sitting judges and judicial officers. But a system has been worked out where complaints against judges are only heard by a committee comprising of judges alone, which is no doubt the most appropriate method. That yardstick ought to be applied to elected representatives too.

Casting Coach

I hold no brief for the Indian cricket team8217;s coach, Greg Chappell, but it is disgusting to see the abuses being hurled at him. Chappell8217;s effigies have been burnt and shoes hurled at his posters. There have been high-pitched calls to sack him, beat him and throw him out of the country. The campaign has made it certain that any cricketer in the world will think twice before agreeing to coach India.

Cricket fans cannot be blamed: they tend to get carried away by what they see on certain news channels. But those who demand the immediate dismissal of Chappell should answer if they can name one man in the world who will guarantee victories always. Why does India react to a cricketing loss as if a tsunami has hit us?

Nobody, not even the BCCI, can do anything about our team8217;s defeats. But the board is already considering introducing performance-based contracts for players. If the team faces continuous defeats, there cannot be any action, but if individual players fail to perform repeatedly, they can certainly be dropped. It needs no mention that all such decisions have to be made strictly on professional grounds and there can be no place for emotions. Chappell8217;s appointment as coach is till the World Cup, which is only six months away. Nobody can say if his contract will be renewed or not, just as nobody can guarantee that a new coach will guarantee victory.

The writer is a Congress MP in Rajya Sabha