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Has our Parliament lost its mandate?
Anna’s movement has caused many upheavals in the political life of our country; today I want to discuss possibility that this agitation by the people of India, en masse, can disqualify the Parliament so much so that fresh mandate will be required for the government to continue as ruling power in India. This is what some experts on constitution are suggesting in private talks. One gentleman from the Election Commission also joined in that discussion and so I feel I should put that on my blog for the wider appeal to my readers.
How a mass movement can disqualify a Parliament and the government thereof?
This is an important query and we shall first see what the experts are saying on this situation. Not any mass movement can disqualify a Parliament and government thereof but that movement which has caused all sections of the people to rise against the government shall be deemed as probable one to disqualify the government. Generally various agitations by people are limited to a small section of the population and are intended to voice concern of that section of people, such movements are not considered competent to disqualify any Parliament and government thereof.
Second part that is considered in this context says, some movements are engineered by some section of group to serve the intentions of that group, may be, they are stirring up many other sections of people by offering temptations or promises and so such agitations are not competent to disqualify any government much less the Parliament.
Third part that is considered in this context says, some movements are localized and not spread in all sections of the country, so such agitations are not competent to disqualify any government much less the Parliament.
Fourth part that is considered in this context says, agitations intended to help a religious group or a community group or a financial group or professional group or a linguistic group or any such minority group cannot be considered as a competent movement to disqualify the Parliament and so not the government.
Some agitations are considered suitable to disqualify a government but not the Parliament. That means to disqualify a Parliament the agitation must be so wide spread that it is not attributed to any particular section of society as mentioned above but complete nation.
Other things considered in this context are; 1) cause of agitation; 2) length of agitation in time factor; 3) who are leaders of the agitation? 4) Mode of agitation; 5) how Parliament reacted to it? 6) How the government reacted to it? 7) What, if any, was resistance to that agitation by any section of people? 8) Whether that movement received support from people (citizens of the country) from abroad? 9) What was the nature of that support? 10) How the movement was quenched, whether by force or by a promise, if by promise, what promise was given and the matters related with that promise. 11) Was any foreign power involved in framing that movement? 12) How the movement was financed? 13) What was the role of media in that movement?
Purpose of these queries is to establish whether the movement was genuine or fake. If found fake; such movement cannot be considered competent to disqualify Parliament. However, if found genuine; such movement declares that the people of the nation as a whole have lost confidence in the present Parliament; and so, also in the government thereof.
Anna’s movement was exemplary in this context because all answers to these questions finally suggest that the movement was indeed a people’s movement and so by this movement it becomes very clear that the people of India have lost confidence in the present Parliament. This means, fresh mandate is preeminent to continue in the saddle and hold power.
If this Parliament continues with total disregard for what people have suggested, through this peaceful agitation, even if not directly hinted by the people or inadvertently opted and so people keep silent that does not mean that the Parliament and government thereof is valid. We know under such condition a Parliament may continue illegally and immorally in the country. However; such arrangements are not acceptable to any foreign power and the international community as such. When this government makes any agreement with a foreign country or any foreign company, that agreement is not valid. That means if in due course as this government is dissolved in time and fresh elections are taken to make new government with renewed Parliament; that new government is not obliged to honor any and all agreements committed by this government. This situation is very awkward for that foreign power and so no foreign power should indulge in making any agreement with this government anymore, so that that agreement will be finally flouted by the future governments of India.
This is the situation after this movement and so any dealing with this government is very dangerous for all foreign powers. Some future governments may even refuse to honor all agreements signed by this government even prior to this agitation. In such a position those foreign powers and the international community as such shall not be able to complain against that government. For that constitutional experts recommend that fresh mandate is compulsory to go further for this government. Not only that but all foreign agreements will have to be rewritten and freshly signed to make them valid. Our Election Commission has voiced that to the Prime Minister, as per my information.
Some experts inquire why Attorney General and Supreme Court have not recommended to this government to resign and hold fresh elections for renewed mandate. Is it because they are on pay by the black money lobby of UPA government or have been obliged by some way? We shall never know that. United Nations also should ask this government to get fresh mandate; why they are not doing it is difficult to guess.
Even so no attempt is seen to be in the process to hold new election to win confidence afresh. Manmohan Singh is moving out to make agreements with foreign powers; recently we see that he had been to Bangladesh. May be he plans to move to other countries to sense if they are aware of the fact that he is leading an invalid government. This is a very treacherous way to rule. No honest politician would continue in this position; but UPA government is continuing. This is for the foreign powers and the international community to concern and refuse to entertain him anymore because it is in their interest that they stop him from continuing to represent the people of India and in the process cheat those foreign powers.
We see in other countries people’s movements are often accompanied with violence but here, true to our nature, our movement was peaceful but that does not mean that the movement can be sidetracked. When a movement is associated with violence the disqualification gets immediate recognition but because this Indian movement is peaceful it is not recognized in that way. We can sight an example of British Raj losing ground and giving us the freedom; that was essentially a peaceful movement and it worked, might be because the British were decent and always honored the voice of people.
In case fresh elections are declared at the demands from foreign powers and the international community, I hope Anna’s people are ready to contest the election, but the way he is talking; it becomes clear that he does not intend to contest. And if so, all efforts to fight against corruption will go in vein. Largely because, the same corrupt people shall come in power due to wrongly designed constitution. May be, Anna is not mature enough to understand the immense implications of his movement. Anna must understand the need for him to contest the future election and so begin to prepare for that. I suggest to Anna and his team that they must learn to take responsibility to rule and show how to rule without corruption and not be satisfied, by remaining, as only a protesting force. He claims that he lives for the country then he should do it properly; I insist.
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