Chouhan can’t silence MLAS
Madhya Pradesh is doing a Rajasthan on sensitive issues
The amendment of House rules by the Madhya Pradesh government to prevent legislators from speaking (and asking questions) about riots, and other so-called “sensitive issues” in the assembly is another effort by a government of the day to control the narrative. The amended rules also give extraordinary power to the speaker of the
House – considered a neutral person, although usually a member of the ruling party – and say a Cabinet’s confidence motion will have precedence over a no-confidence motion moved by the opposition parties. The government in this case, is the BJP one led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and the amended rules have already been notified, although, following censure from opposition parties and the media, the administration has promised to reconsider them. The changes run contrary to the spirit of representative democracy that India follows, at the Centre, and the states. People’s representatives – in this case, the legislators – are expected to ask uncomfortable questions and raise sensitive issues. Taking away the power of legislators to do this will do nothing – apart, from, perhaps, controlling the narrative, which is probably the objective of such amendments in the first place. The questions and issues will remain.
This is a disturbing trend. And what’s more disturbing is that it is a trend at all. Late last year, the Rajasthan government – again, a BJP one; headed by Vasundhara Raje – promulgated an ordinance Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance 2017 that, prohibited journalists from reporting on allegations of wrongdoing (and corruption) against government employees and functionaries, judges, and magistrates unless the state had already sanctioned their prosecution. Rajasthan subsequently allowed the ordinance to lapse.
Governments, public officials (and functionaries), and members of the judiciary should have no reservations about being asked questions. Which is why all right thinking people, including politicians across parties, must protest the happenings in Madhya Pradesh. It could be the BJP trying to have its way today, but parties across the political spectrum are adept at adopting the playbook of power.