Espousing a right cause in public interest and fighting to the finish for the same adopting non-violent means is not illegal in democratic form of govt.; however, in a country which prides herself on being a sovereign democratic republic, fundamental right was abrogated by the present govt. illegally by fabricating intelligent logical explanations in the façade of criminal procedure codes and maintaining of law and order problem etc which did not convince even the reason-tossed minds of intellectual maturity, let alone the AAM ADMI. The government took suicidal steps by encroaching upon fundamental rights of peaceful protest and demonstration by the social activist. In the process, the worst damage has been done to ruling party which has lost its credibility in the eyes of the general public and the people have become skeptical about the party, its intent and its ideology. Had the flexibility as displayed in the last minute been shown earlier, the stand-off might have been avoided and then the ruling party could have been credited to have ensured the tabling and passage of the Jan Lakpal Bill. This image of the party would also have paid richer dividends in the forthcoming elections. But no credit now will go to ruling party even if the bill is passed either in original form (which does not seem possible in any circumstance) or modified form.

With parliament and other governmental institutions having been subverted by politicians and bureaucrats, democratic form of government undermined by allowing the criminals to contest and win elections and become parliamentarians, nexus between criminals and politicians having strengthened even after continued discussions in the parliament some years back, scams after scams being brought to the fore, parliamentarians being bought to support the ruling party during no-confidence motion, the public have therefore completely lost faith in the parliament, the government, institutional mechanisms and even in democracy. The democracy has lost its sheen and so has the parliament been robbed of its supremacy and sovereignty. That is why the public want to have their complete say in governance affairs.  

The parliamentarians are under the deluge that the parliament belongs to them. The parliament does not belong to them but to the public. The democracy has been chosen as the form of government not by the parliamentarians but by the public. And the constitution has been framed not by the parliamentarians but by the public. Therefore, our parliamentarians need not live in oblivion and rather accept the hark reality that they will remain parliamentarians as long as they think and work in public interest or public welfare; and once they think and work against public interest or public welfare, they will cease to remain parliamentarians and be wiped out by the public from the political lexicon.

The democracy is not the form of government by the few, of the few and for the few; the parliament is not the fiefdom of parliamentarians where they can legislate anything even if detrimental to public interest and public welfare. The supremacy of parliament is not above public interest or public welfare. And even the constitution is not above the public interest and public welfare. The people’s power can change the parliament, the elected representatives, the government, the form of government and even the constitution. Today’s parliamentarians should not be unmindful of these hark realities else it will be nearly impossible for them to face the public wrath and ire in their own constituencies

Nothing is above the ‘public interest’ and ‘public welfare’ – neither parliament, nor democracy, nor government, nor constitution. Parliamentarians, Parliament, Democracy and Constitution are all just means to achieve the only one end i.e., ‘public welfare’. Therefore, parliamentarians are duty-bound to serve the public and not just only enjoy the privileges given to them by the public.

The public want such leaders as parliamentarians who can deliver to the public thru’ proper governance; want Parliament in which bills are legislated for their welfare and want democracy wherein they have a say in governance affairs. Therefore, parliament, democracy and constitution will have to evolve if they fail to meet the growing aspirations of the public in their present form. 

Now the time has come to audit the works of MPs and review the privileges being given to them? Their salary, perks and privileges may be strictly subjected to their performance on national as well as constituency level. All unwarranted expenditures being incurred on them should be withdrawn.