Politics of Comment and Contempt

It is said that the Bengalis are prone to criticism of others. Their digestive system does not work if they can not criticise others. This proverbial realty has been reflected in our everyday life from household to office, from social life to politics. This national attitude is inscribed in our hearts and minds for which we can very easily bash each other over a very trifle matter.

Very recently, some of our members of the parliament have become very insensitive to criticise others who are not members of the parliament. Criticizing a non-insider of the parliament is not a new event in our parliamentary democracy. And we the democracy loving people want to take it in a positive mood.
But why the recent uproar of this asinine matter has aggrieved the members of the parliament? The reason is rooted in our non-practicing democracy. We are a new born democracy. For this very simple reason we become very easily aggrieved by any criticism from any quarter of the people. No matter it is of the parliament or any individual. It is taken very easily in other democracies if any individuals criticise any member of the parliament or even the activities of the parliament. As the members or the authority of the house consider it in a positive mood, it has become established as a real attitude in democracy.

Likewise, the parliament also can criticise any individual for his comment or activities regarding any issue whatsoever. They do not criticise others only for his criticism for the members or the parliament.

But unfortunately enough, this practice is yet to be developed here. Only the negative side of the criticism has been developed here. Our MPs get aggrieved and asks for pardon on the pleas of violation/contempt of parliament or so on. In other democracy, there is no practice of seeking pardon for any comment whatsoever made by any individual. Their activities regarding such type of criticism are limited to criticism- against- criticism. No further action is practiced in developed democracies. Our members (not every) should think twice of their own activities before bringing any allegation of contempt of parliament or democracy. How many of them join the session? Why they are taking all allowance without joining the house? Why the session cannot sit for lack of quorum? What they oaths and what they do to people and country? Do they pardon to the people or in the parliament for their deviation from all those activities? Do they pardon to the people or to each other when they abuse severally each other in the house of the nation?

Basically, the people of the country bear very high esteem for our parliament. But it is heartbreaking for us that whom we allow to go to the parliament forget their real mandate. They rather become power holders than to become people’s servant. They then forget the constitution or the principle of rule of law, justice and many other things as they even forget their own constituencies.

EAP