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Journalism of Courage
There is also symbolism in the choice of the new Lok Sabha speaker. Then there is the propriety. They are the prime minister and the leader of the opposition respectively. But the sight of newly elected Speaker Meira Kumar being escorted to her chair by Manmohan Singh and L.K. Advani was a welcome parliamentary balm after the bruising,as such processes so often are,election campaign of April-May. During the campaign,the two men had traded insult,invective and
insinuation. To see them switch from the confrontation of that time to the civilities of our parliamentary system of democracy was to hope that this grace will mark a change in the tenor of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha debate.
This is much more than symbolism. That show of dignity was
underpinned by the conversation between the main ruling and opposition parties on elections to the post of speaker and deputy speaker. India does not have the convention of ensuring that a speaker is almost guaranteed re-election from her constituency as a way of imposing bipartisanship on the post. A spirit of bipartisanship is instead fostered by conventions such as giving the choice of speaker to the ruling party,that of the deputy speaker to the main opposition party,and encouraging their election to be unanimous. That this convention has carried through in the 15th Lok Sabha marks a feel-good beginning.
But constructive engagement across the aisles is not about
ceremonial grace alone. It must be more substantive. It must be about allowing the speaker and deputy speaker to conduct the House without a constant fear of disruption. It must,even more so,be about serious and polite discussion between the treasury and opposition benches on legislative business whether in debate in the House,in more private consultation on gaining as wide a political assent for a bill or amendment as possible,or perhaps in at least taking cognisance of an opposition partys reservations by addressing those concerns. It must be about reducing the space for disagreement on key issues. A beginning can be had by senior treasury and opposition representatives investing in civil parliamentary debate,and showing the way.
