Soliloquy

One of the most debated and argued-about topics in Indian politics of late is the supposed role of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Often deemed to be a neutral position meant for the moderation of voices both for and against the government, it has frequently been torn into means of lobbying and showcasing the ugly side of politics upended for the ruling dispensation’s benefits.

The Speaker is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and in turn, the highest authority in it. By that definition, such an individual is expected to uphold the dignity of the Constitution that allows him/ her to take up office and in turn, reflect in the manner of their bearing and showcase the virtue of their purpose.

That the Speaker has to be acceptable to both the Government and the Opposition is beyond all doubt, and that Mr Om Birla – of doubtful credentials and questionable integrity – finds himself on the hot seat for the second term in a row must ask serious questions of what the Opposition seeks to achieve by portraying itself as the voice of the minorities and oppressed in a country where the latter have long learnt to bear their marks of incarceration as scars of honour.

It is, of course, hard to expect men of dignity and honour to rise through the ranks when the words have lost all meaning in Indian politics, but harder still is it to witness the farce that the Speaker dallies in when pushed into formidable positions where he has but little recourse to stick to his benefactors and argue about the integrity that he could not uphold.

Mr Birla may be forgiven for a lot, but he shall never be pardoned for misusing his chair to let a certain Mr Bidhuri make observations of an extraneous nature, even if the fallible Indian public overlooks the fiasco he generated by suspending a hundred Opposition MPs when they dared to question the breach of security in Parliament- one thinks that they were, for once, doing what they were elected for, only to be firmly shown the door.

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