Former Speaker describes Nehru as the builder of democratic institutions
Describing country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the builder of democratic institutions, the former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Saturday voiced his concerns over the “spread of confrontational politics” hindering democratic institutions like the Parliament from functioning properly. Speaking at a seminar on the legacy of Pandit Nehru that was organised by the Congress Party, Mr. Chatterjejee said that the “growing intolerance” was damaging the country’s social and political system.
“We must be worried because of the competitive and confrontational politics that has overtaken the country today and our institutions like the Parliament cannot appropriately discharge its essential functions,” said Mr. Chatterjee. The seminar was titled “Jawaharlal Nehru and Modern India: Contribution and Legacy”.
He voiced his concern that the “pluralistic” India for which democracy was dimmed to be the most suitable form of governance by Pandit Nehru, was now witnessing “intolerance, divisiveness, corruption and disrespect for dissent.”
“We need to seriously address the issues of corruption, communalisation and criminalisation of politics,” said Mr. Chatterjee.
Addressing the seminar, noted rights activist Teesta Setalvad criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre for following “extreme right wing” economic policies. She accused the Centre and the Hindu nationalist organisation RSS of not believing in the Constitution and said that the “democratic base” of the country was under a “fascist attack.” Not only did she accuse the RSS of using the social media for spreading its “propaganda” but also urged the youth to come forward in countering the RSS.
Interestingly, K. Mohan Gopal, the director of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies, perceived by some as a Congress think tank, said that the economic liberalisation initiated by the party in the 1990s resulted in significantly reducing the space for social democratic parties. He emphasised on bringing back the “mixed economy” and on having an “efficient public sector” as “solely profit-oriented” economy is not suitable for a country of “wide disparity.”
The seminar brought the State leaders of the (CPI-M)-led Left Front along with the CPI(ML) Liberation, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Janata Dal (United) along with sidelined Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy and expelled CPI-M leader Abdur Rezzak Molla on the same dais.
State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that keeping with the “democratic” ideals of Pandit Nehru a “united protest” should be initiated against the “political intolerance” of the TMC.
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