ONE MORE TIME TO INTROSPECT!

Today, I really felt, what I shouldn’t have. An ordeal is finally over. The Legislative session, which was planned to last till the end of this month, was indefinitely adjourned today. After a hard week, three things still leave me depressed.

· An English daily, today had carried a front page photo of few honorable members of Legislative Council standing atop the tables of the imperial house, demanding a CBI enquiry, while the whole scene bewilderingly looked upon by a group of young school going children from the visitors’ gallery who were brought to witness the proceedings. It left me pondering, as to what impression these young and naïve minds might have carried home after witnessing the whole scene. After all, each one of them had come to gain knowledge of how peoples’ representatives would “voice” the aspirations of Society. They must be puzzled, while their teachers make only an erring student stand atop the bench, how come, these people stand on the tables to prove a point! The photo didn’t greet me a good morning!
· About 18 legislations and a budget of over 70000 crore rupees were approved today without any participation of the Legislature. Opposition friends refused to take part in the debate and instead engaged themselves in high decibel sloganeering. Today was the fifth day of that unfortunate exhibition. For the people outside, it appeared a pure and simple mockery of sorts.
· I owe myself to RSS since my childhood days. In fact, I was a spirited worker of Jansangh since my high school days. RSS and Jansangh have shaped my career. I am always proud to identify myself with my Organisation because of its distinct nationalistic character. I was in silent tears today, when I had to hear the outcry of opposition members in both the houses abusing my Party. “Gali Gali mein Shor hai.. BJP chor hai”, “ಸಾವಿರಾರು ಕೋಟಿ, ಬಿ ಜೆ ಪಿ ಲೂಟಿ..” I never anticipated that in my life, my Party will become a recipient of such epithets..

People in general are already unhappy about overall behavior of legislators. Their trust in our dedication to societal cause is fast receding. Is it not that time for my entire legislator friends to introspect (introspect again!) ?

I for one, have always been a staunch lover of Parliamentary etiquettes. Incidentally I’m the Minister for Law and Parliamentary affairs too. I had a strong desire to make legislative sessions more meaningful and purposeful.

But this time, alas, that was not to be.

Yes, I am dejected and despaired. May be, I too had my own contribution in this whole affair. But unwittingly for sure.

On behalf of all the legislators, my sincere apologies lie with the common man.

- S.Sureshkumar