Yes, speaker!

On the eve of the Budget, our elected representatives were in a state of cordial anticipation. They sparred, but they laughed. It began as a...

On the eve of the Budget, our elected representatives were in a state of cordial anticipation. They sparred, but they laughed. It began as a calling attention motion on non-payment of statutory dues and wages to employees of sick PSUs. Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Shiv Sena said 65 out of 240 Central PSUs have outstanding statutory dues and the Government was awaiting the final recommendations of a GOM to resolve the matter. Basudeb Acharia CPI0M, who had raised the issue, had already had his say, but members on the Opposition and treasury benches too wanted to get a word in. But as Speaker Manohar Joshi explained, according to the rules, only the member who8217;s given notice can speak. Thereupon began plaintive pleas to soften Joshi8217;s resolve. 8216;8216;We will not cite this as a precedent,8217;8217; entreated Somnath Chatterjee. Chandrakant Khaire Shiv Sena sought to register agreement with 8216;8216;Basu-dada8217;8217;. At which point Joshi said: 8216;8216;Yeh to Minister Vikhe Patil aapki sunta nahin hai bilkul,8217;8217; he told Khaire, reminding all of a grudge Sena members were once said to harbour against Joshi when he was a minister.

The Prodigals Return, Too Soon

In any case, the Opposition soon enough decided to effect a completely anticipated walkout on the non-payment of dues to PSU workers. Off they went in a gentle huff, with Deputy Speaker P.M. Sayeed alone holding the Opposition benches. But clearly they did not time their re-entry properly. As Mulayam Singh Yadav ambled back in, he burst into laughter. 8216;8216;He still speaking!8217;8217; he pointed to the Minister. But NDA MPs had the last word: 8216;8216;Go back!8217;8217; they shouted merrily to their returning colleagues.

Bengali, and proud to be so

A routine expression of concern about the 8216;8216;harassment8217;8217; of Bengali-speaking citizens developed into a full-blown exhibition of Bengali pride! Hannan Mollah of the CPIM raised the issue during Zero Hour, claiming that 200 Bengali-speaking labourers in Noida were being harassed on the police8217;s claim that they were not Indian citizens. His Bengali brethren thereupon agreed that innocent folks should not be victimised just because they spoke Bengali. From there it was just an automatic progression, as earnest pleas about the nobility of the Bengali tongue resounded in the Lok Sabha, with one member seeking to clinch the case by declaring, 8216;8216;The Bengali language has got Nobel Prize!8217;8217; Indeed, nodded the Hon8217;ble Speaker, and added: 8216;8216;Bengalis are known for their good culture, you must show that in the House.8217;8217;

Bunching the elections

There would be no more lurching from one state election to another if Alladi P. Rajkumar of the Telugu Desam Party had his way. Raising a special mention in the Rajya Sabha, he made a case for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies and local bodies in India. Umm, what happens if a legislature at some point fails to elect a leader? No one asked.

My vote, our ballot

Armed force personnel will finally get the right to cast their vote even while patrolling the country8217;s borders. The Rajya Sabha okayed by voice vote the Bill giving them proxy voting rights. The Lok Sabha had earlier cleared the legislation.