It may appear an icing in the cake. It is quite surprising though. Former Prime Minister Late Chandrashekhar was a man of principle and values in politics. Once he said, "it is not a crime to be deceived".
In 1999 when the Vajpayee government fell by one vote (due to vote of a sitting MP cum Odisha Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang), it seems Chandrashekhar had lamented for voting against the Vajpayee government.
Trinamool floor leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay
Sudip Bandyopadhyay made the reference while participating in the Special session discussion on 75 years of Indian Parliament. "....all of us have witnessed the power of one vote, and we have seen the power of the Parliament also, how peacefully the voting pattern went on. Just next to me was sitting Chandrashekhar ji. He asked me, “Sudip, what is the result of the voting?” I said, “Vajpayee ji has been defeated by margin of one vote only.”
He said to me, “Oh, if I had the idea, I could have voted for Vajpayee ji by which the voting pattern could have been different.”
The Trinamool floor leader further said, "So, these are the memories, which haunt me always. Sir, let the present House run with a positive note. A common principle of parliamentary democracy is that the House belongs to the Opposition. I often tell it in all-party meetings convened by the hon. Speaker that in a parliamentary democratic system the House should belong to the Opposition."
"But nowadays, Bills are being passed without debates or discussions. It is not a good precedent. Both sides have to be more objective in their approach and outlook. It is only when the Ruling Party takes a positive decision, it becomes possible. Otherwise, it is not possible for the Opposition to run the House in a proper manner".
Nehru ji detested cultism.....he was tireless in listening to Opposition's voice and would never mock, deflect : Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
extract from Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's speech in Lok Sabha:
"... the architect of modern India, Nehru ji, had said, "Parliamentary democracy demands many virtues. Of course, it demands ability, and certain devotion to work. But it demands also a large measure of cooperation, of self- discipline, of restraint.
We know very well that there are not many countries in the world where it functions successfully. I think it may be said without any partiality that it has functioned in a large measure of success in this country."
"Why? Not so much because we, the Members of this House, are exemplars of wisdom, but, I think, because of the background of our country and because our people have the spirit of democracy in them".
Jahwaharlal Nehru ji detested cultism. He was humble in his submission to the constitutional requirement. In an interview with Mr. R. K. Karanjia, he specifically mentioned, "You are wrong in using word like 'The Nehru Epoch' or 'The Nehru Policy'". Though he enjoyed massive majority in Parliament, he was tireless in listening to Opposition's voice and would never mock, deflect, pontificate, while answering questions asked of him.
"He (Nehru) never believed in steamrolling the Opposition and gave due respect to the feelings and sentiments of the Opposition Members. It was significant to note that during his tenure Parliament ran smoothly. He not only led the nation in a difficult situation but he was the prime force and pioneer who has given a wonderful beginning to our parliamentary democracy by his immense contribution."
"...even the Speaker's bell would ring for Jawaharlal Nehru when he exceeded time limit while making his speeches in Parliament. It shows that no one was beyond Parliament's prerogative and that was Nehru's contribution.
"Analysing Jawaharlal Nehru's contribution to the development of parliamentary democracy in India has become significant and mere relevant in the contemporary context which forces us to recall the glorious beginning of our parliamentary democracy, where healthy debate and discussions were order of the day".
'At the Stroke of Midnight Hour', the iconic speech that was delivered in Parliament still reverberates the entire precincts of this House.
Sir, the most illustrious person, Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, who is regarded as the Father of the Constitution, said, “Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity which are not to be treated as separate items in a trinity.
"They form a union of trinity in the sense that to divorce one from the other is to defeat the very purpose of democracy. Equality cannot be divorced from liberty, liberty cannot be divorced from equality. Nor can equality and liberty be divorced from fraternity.”
Now, we need the mantra of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, the mantra of Jawaharlal Nehru and other stalwarts who have made this Parliamentary democracy glorious for us to be remembered again and again."
***
".... on the eve of Independence, the Constituent Assembly met at 11 p.m. with President Rajendra Prasad in the Chair. Sucheta Kripalani, a member from Uttar Pradesh, sang the first verse of Vande Mataram to mark the opening of the Special Session. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his famous “Tryst with destiny” speech. Speaker Mavalankar announced the death of Mahatma Gandhi at a sitting of the Lok Sabha on February 2, 1948.
Mavalankar ji said: “We are meeting today under the shadow of a double calamity, the sad demise of the tallest man of our age who has led us from slavery to Independence and the reappearance of the cult of political violence in our country. Nehru ji said: “A glory has departed and the sun that warmed and brightened our lives has set and we shiver in the cold and dark.”
***
"History is the remembrance of the past. It transmits from generation to generation......History should not be treated as a cancelled cheque. Rather, it should be treated as a promissory note for future. Now, whatever cash is in hand, we should spend it wisely. That should be the agenda of any Government.
....the Anti-Defection Law was passed in the year 1985. The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 was also passed. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was enacted to prevent atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Hon. Speaker, Sir, the Panchayati Raj Institutions Act was enacted in 1992."
During the debate, Trinamool MP, Mr Bandyopadhyay also said that he stands for both - 'India' and 'Bharat'.
"I must say the slogan that whatever manner the country proceeds, we must say, “long live secularism and federalism”. The federal structure of the country is under a big threat where West Bengal is one of the major victims. I should take it up. We are trying our best to draw the attention of the Government. As the Leader of the Trinamool Congress Party in Lok Sabha, I should keep it on record as mentioned.
Sir, I repeat that no attempt is to be made to create a division between India and Bharat. We firmly stand by both. Jai Hind. Jai India. Jai Bharat".
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