September 18, 2023
Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s speech on “parliamentary journey of 75 years”
Sir, I rise to speak on the discussion on Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha – which has not yet been discussed in detail at all in the House – Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings. This is the last day of the current Parliament House, and this is possibly the last agenda in the current Parliament House we are going to discuss. On this day of nostalgia, we feel a flood of memories from the past and pledge to preserve our best democratic traditions for the future. The journey began just before Independence with the convening of the Samvidhan Sabhaor Constituent Assembly. The list of Members registered and presented their credentials on the discussion held on December 9, 1946. Bengal had been a veritable roll of honour. Many speakers took part. I would just remember their names and their role. It reads as follows: 1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar from Bengal; 2. Mr. Sarat Chandra Bose; 3. Mr. Kiran Shankar Roy; 4. Mr. Frank Reginald Anthony; 5. Mr. Satya Ranjan Bakshi; and 6. Dr. Prafulla Chandra Ghosh. The list included another 25 Members from Bengal who took part in this debate for the final publication of the Indian Constitution. Sir, the proceedings of this Constituent Assembly would have been very dull. Dr. Ambedkar said in his final speech in the Samvidhan Sabha. “If all Members had yielded to the rule of party line or party discipline, in all its rigidity, then, it could be a gathering of ‘yes’ men only.” But a few persons raised their voice of their own, going outside of the resolution that was before the House. There were rebels rising to lend qualified support to Dr. Ambedkar’s motion to pass the Constitution. One of these rebels, Hari Vishnu Kamath suggested – “We, the people of India”, and that was inducted in the Constitution with the proposal of Hari Vishnu Kamath – “We, the people of India”. We had come to the end of a long journey which was, however, “the beginning of a longer, a more arduous and a more hazardous one”. True to the Indian genius, he noted, “our struggle, our awakening, began with a spiritual renaissance which was pioneered by Ramakrishna Paramahansa Dev, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Dayananda. In the wake of those spiritual leaders came the political renaissance and the cultural renaissance of which the torchbearers, the leaders, the guides were Lokamanya Tilak, Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi, and, last but not the least, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.” Today, we once again pay our tribute to those great leaders of our freedom struggle. The journey of the next 75 years started seven and a half decades ago, and convening of this session of the 17thLok Sabha, in this historic Lok Sabha. Before moving from an old building to a new one, we need to understand the true meaning of the name of our country, “India, that is, Bharat.” We are happy and comfortable with both names. That we want to reiterate here also. While seeking inspiration from achievements, experiences, and memories of the past, we must take the main learning for the future. We, who are currently in the opposition, rededicate ourselves to defending democracy against authoritarianism and commit ourselves to building our new India on the strong foundations of secularism and federalism. One of our colleagues, Sugata Bose, is now the Head of the History Department in the Harvard University. When he was the MP in the Sixteenth Lok Sabha, he delivered a beautiful speech on this subject which I remember very much. India has a parliamentary system of Government. We have been watching it since the last 75 years. At the Union, Parliament is the supreme legislative body of India. Our parliamentary democratic system stands upon the principles of communal harmony, secularism, and unity of the country. After the Constitution was passed, the ethos of our Constitution vibrated as unity in diversity. This spirit is to be kept maintained. India is a country which almost believes on principles of Nana Bhasa Nana Maat Nana Paridhan Bibidher Majhe Dekho Milan Mahan. This is unity in diversity. This spirit was reflected from the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and that should be reflected so long as we remain in the country. We speak ek jati ek pran ekota, ei desh amader bisesata. This country is Godly to us, and this ‘one country’ feeling should percolate to the hearts of every Indian. We believe in the principles of unity amongst Hindu, Buddha, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Muslim and Christian. Somehow, we are finding this idea being not implemented in all parts of the country. The Indian Parliament is famous for its ornamental speeches, records of debates and discussions since its inception. The spirit of brotherhood and feeling of respect always used to be maintained between one party MPs and the other party MPs. Now, we are lacking in this culture. This system has vanished. The Prime Minister was expressing that there were no claps from the Opposition. I was hearing his speech. But this system has collapsed, and this is not a good sign which we are going to face. The Indian Parliament on different occasions and at different eras has proven how much powerful the Indian Parliament is at the time of any crisis of the nation. The whole Parliament stands by India or Bharat. Earlier, the Prime Ministers of all times responded to the questions raised by the Members but somehow, we have not been finding this since the last 10 years. Why is it happening? I have been here since the Twelfth Lok Sabha. I have interacted with so many Prime Ministers in the Question Hour but this time I am not finding it. I hope this will be reflected in the new House. The process of continuous discussions in connection with international and very important national issues was part of regular parliamentary practice. Now-a-days, it is totally invisible. The Indian Parliamentarians have shown unity amongst themselves when China and Pakistan invaded India. Atal Behari Vajpayee Ji praised Indira Gandhi by pronouncing her as Maa Durga at the time of war in Bangladesh. We still remember it. There are exemplary precedents like this in the history of Indian Parliament. The spirit of the Opposition praising the Treasury Benches and the Treasury Benches praising the Opposition was reflected in the House on many occasions and at several times. But now it is totally invisible. Keeping faith upon international solidarity and brotherhood, our Parliament has expressed solidarity with many other countries which have fought for their Independence. I was first elected in the Twelfth Lok Sabha as the Trinamool Congress candidate. At that time, under the leadership of our Party Leader Mamata Banerjee, it was for the first time a new political party entered into the Parliament. At that time, she raised her voice in Parliament for one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. We still remember the incident when she caught one Member of Parliament by the neck when he was going to tear the Bill which was going to be placed on the Table of the House. Now, Sonia ji has also written a letter to the hon. Prime Minister to take it up. Our demand is that when we move to the new parliament building, let this Women’s Reservation Bill be tabled and passed without further delay. Let it be done with a positive note so that this Parliament can initiate its journey with a very positive outlook. Sir, all of us have witnessed the power of one vote, and we have seen the power of the Parliament also, how peacefully the voting pattern went on. Just next to me was sitting Chandrashekhar ji. He asked me, “Sudip, what is the result of the voting?” I said, “Vajpayee ji has been defeated by margin of one vote only.” He said to me, “Oh, if I had the idea, I could have voted for Vajpayee ji by which the voting pattern could have been different.” So, these are the memories, which haunt me always. Sir, let the present House run with a positive note. A common principle of parliamentary democracy is that the House belongs to the Opposition. I often tell it in all-party meetings convened by the hon. Speaker that in a parliamentary democratic system the House should belong to the Opposition. But nowadays, Bills are being passed without debates or discussions. It is not a good precedent. Both sides have to be more objective in their approach and outlook. It is only when the Ruling Party takes a positive decision, it becomes possible. Otherwise, it is not possible for the Opposition to run the House in a proper manner. Sir, a midnight Parliament Session was convened to celebrate the launch of Goods and Services Tax. It was held to make it historical. But many important and extraordinary situations prevailing in the country are not being allowed to be raised and discussed in the House. Sir, brute majority in Parliament of one political party at this present Parliament reflects that arrogance is not desirable. But my long experience says that if a brute majority persists, they are in a mood to grab the voice of the Opposition. It is neither desirable nor supported by the hon. Members. So, we will approach to the Ruling Party to practice some restraint in this regard in the coming Sessions. Since long it is proven that Parliament Sessions must reflect more positivity and become result-oriented. But in last few Sessions, or in last few years, the Parliament Sessions are not becoming result-oriented. That is a part of sorrow. The attitude of the Ruling Party of Parliament can make it viable and functioning. If it continues, people will start losing their faith in the parliamentary system of democracy. They may ask what Parliament is going to give to us. Once people start losing faith upon the parliamentary system, it would be a very dangerous situation. So, we must try to remain more committed and faithful at the 75th Year of Indian Independence to see that the parliamentary democratic system remains alive with its massive strength. Sir, when we are entering into the New Parliament Building, let all the systems be approached, be focussed, be presented, be ventilated in a positive manner. All the country should feel the change from one building to another building. When we move, we carry forward with us good feelings. Good sense of ideas should prevail, and each one of us should become respectful to each other. Lastly, I must say the slogan that whatever manner the country proceeds, we must say, “long live secularism and federalism”. The federal structure of the country is under a big threat where West Bengal is one of the major victims. I should take it up. We are trying our best to draw the attention of the Government. As the Leader of the Trinamool Congress Party in Lok Sabha, I should keep it on record as mentioned. Sir, I repeat that no attempt is to be made to create a division between India and Bharat. We firmly stand by both. Jai Hind. Jai India. Jai Bharat.
