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This is an archive article published on March 12, 2010
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Opinion About time

The editorial ‘Marshal law’ (IE,March 11) is right in arguing that “cracking down on those legislators who think they can hold up business indefinitely was overdue”.....

The Indian Express

March 12, 2010 12:17 AM IST First published on: Mar 12, 2010 at 12:17 AM IST

The editorial ‘Marshal law’ (IE,March 11) is right in arguing that “cracking down on those legislators who think they can hold up business indefinitely was overdue”. The tendency should have been nipped in the bud. MPs may say whatever they want from their seats. But they have no privilege to commit offences inside or outside the House. Suspension is a mild punishment and should not be revoked. As for Mamata Banerjee’s anger against marshalling out the MPs,she could consider how she would have felt if her budget papers were snatched from her and the microphone pulled out when she was presenting the railway budget.

— N. Kunju

New Delhi

The marshals could do what others can never dare to do. Under the guise of privileges,these MPs have made the executive ineffective and they waste their quality time in the House for populist gains. Still,in one sense,they may have a point because of the little time allotted to them. More sittings should be held in both Houses and every MP should be given time for such bills.

— Ashok K. Gupta

Shimla

Three reasons

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This refers to Jaithirth Rao’s ‘Let’s junk the hypocrisy’ (IE,March 10). Constitutionality of the women’s bill apart,three things need to be pointed out: first,whatever the excuse,the attack on the Rajya Sabha chairman and slogan shouting tactics adopted to stall the bill need to be condemned. Rao,tongue in cheek,admits as much when he says the tactics were “too easy for comfort”. The punishment handed out is too little. Second,Rao seems to attach greater weight to the identity of caste compared to that of gender. It doesn’t stand to reason. Even if Ramsay MacDonald had given separate electorates to Ashraf,Ajlaf and Arzal Muslims,they might still have followed the Muslim League. Subjective feelings of identity would have been weightier. Third,if the first-past-the-post system,for 60 years,has provided enough voice to OBCs in Parliament,there’s no reason to believe that,over time,“backward” class women wouldn’t get an upper hand in politics.

— R.S. Morkhandikar

Aurangabad

Lingering problems

This refers to Subhashini Ali’s ‘Countering the critics’ (IE,March 11). India needs more women’s empowerment socially,politically,economically. But the present version of the women’s bill — with the 33 per cent quota and the rotation system — has serious drawbacks. Forget the apprehension of biwi-beti proxies; a deserving woman candidate would be empowered for only five years to represent the constituency. Once her tenure’s completed,she has to give up her candidacy from her seat. This will not be a big problem for high-profile female candidates,but it would be a Herculean task for ordinary where she needs to start afresh for a grassroots connect.

— Saumya Brata Panda

Noida