September 18, 2023
Md Nadimul Haque’s speech on “parliamentary journey of 75 years”
Sir, thank you very much for giving me the chance to speak on this issue. Thank you for limiting me also, Sir. Sir, the word ‘federal’ is not mentioned in the Constitution even once, yet it is the spirit and soul of this country. Remember that this is not the House of Elders; it is the Council of States. Do not do anything that will hurt federalism. Do not do anything that will compromise the States. Do not assault federalism. ‘Federalism’ is a nation’s precious asset. Madam, depriving the States of funds is a threat to democracy. Let me give you an example of my State, West Bengal. Labourers who worked under ‘MNREGA’ from 2021 till now have not been paid their wages, amounting close to four thousand crore rupees. If we include the non-wage component, the amount goes up to seven thousand crore rupees. Madam, 11,36,000 beneficiaries have been denied the Gramin Awas Yojana. Under different Schemes, the Union Government has blocked tens of thousands of crores to West Bengal. This is not ‘federal’. This is against the States. Seventy-five years ago, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar said, and I quote, “The Indian Constitution is a federal constitution in as much as it is established what may be called a dual polity which will consist of the Union at the Centre and the States at the periphery, each endowed with sovereign powers to be exercised in the field assigned to them respectively by the Constitution.”Remember that the double engine government that you propose is against the federalism that our founders envisioned for this country. It is against the very spirit of India. Madam, we are in 2023. I quote Arundhati Roy – “It is no longer just our leaders that we must fear, but a whole section of the population. The banality of evil, the normalization of evil, is now manifest in our streets, in our classrooms, in very many public spaces. The mainstream Press, the hundreds of 24 hour news channels, have been harnessed to the cause of fascist majoritarianism. The India’s Constitution has been effectively set aside. The Indian Penal Code is being re-written.” Madam, in conclusion, I must say that India’s equilibrium depends on fair play. Do not penalize those States that have done better in successful implementation of schemes but oppose you politically. Political parties come and go, Prime Ministers will come and go, but India, its Parliament and its Constitution, will remain forever. Thank you very much.
