Summary:
Few days back, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha rejected my suggestion to allow virtual attendance by Members who are unable to be physically present.
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Few days back, the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha rejected my suggestion to allow virtual attendance by Members who are unable to be physically present.
Both Houses of Parliament will begin their delayed Monsoon Session tomorrow and will be a physical attendance-only session.
Even if the attendance is satisfactory, the atmosphere will be unreal.
I suppose the Houses will observe the form of parliamentary democracy with the spirit absent and the soul missing.
One nation, one everything
The main business of the Houses will be pending Bills and the 11 Ordinances promulgated during the inter-session period.
It is beyond comprehension that when the nation faces multiple crises — the economic collapse, the raging pandemic and the threat from China — why the government is making an insidious attempt to alter Centre-State relations in key areas.
The Ordinances are part of the pet theory of the Prime Minister that there must be One Nation, One Everything.
The theory cuts at the very root of the Constitutional compact between the States and the Union that India will be a Union of States and federalism — sharing of legislative and executive powers — will be the fundamental principle.
Over the years, States have ceded too many powers to the Union government.
All parties have governed India and all parties are to be blamed.