National ego curbing voice of dissent in country, says Hamid Ansari

Vice President of India M Hamid Ansari on Sunday expressed concern over increasing hyper nationalism.

Delivering the 25th National Law School of India University (NLSIU) convocation address, Vice President said that national ego was curbing the voice of dissent.

 “India is a polity at war with itself as emotional integration among people has lost its strength. There is a need to end naxal insurgencies, distress in agriculture sector, issues of local language and excesses against weaker sections.”

Ansari said that democracy should not be judged by institutions in the system, but by the extent to which different voices from diverse sections were heard.

“Stratification, heterogeneity and hierarchy had not only created intersections in India, but also resulted in the exclusion of various sections in the democracy. The Parliament was increasingly becoming ineffective in eyeing on the government’s works,’’ he said.

“About 61% of MPs secured less than 50% votes in the 2014 general elections. Victory based on non-majority has affected the overall approach, pluralism and secularism. Muslims constitute 14.23 % of India’s population. The number of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members is 790, while the number of Muslim members was 49 in 1980, between 30 and 35 between 1999 and 2009. 

It declined to 23 in 2014. Women MPs constituted about 12.015% in 2014. Women’s Reservation Bill of 2009 lapsed before the 2014 general polls,” he stated.

Ansari expressed concern on decline in numbers of sittings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The decreased sittings have affected quality and productivity of the government’s accountability. About 40% of bills were passed in less than one hour in the Lok Sabha, which is not a good sign, he said.

He stated that courts should fulfil their custodial responsibilities and assure that the Constitution and the law fairly apply to all in getting equality of status and opportunity.

He presented medals to toppers in various law programmes. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Governor Vajubhai R Vala and Chief Justice of India J S Khehar were present.