JOIN USConstitutional offices like those of the Governor and the Speaker have lost much of their value and credibility over the years. The main, perhaps the only, reason for this is the conduct of those who hold these positions. These and other similar offices are considered to be above the political fray. Those who hold them are expected to act, speak and conduct themselves impartially without showing any favour or liking to any political party, much less adherence to an ideological organisation outside the pale of legislature. Such an ideal conduct by constitutional functionaries is never seen now, and cases of partisanship, wrong conduct and language not appropriate and worthy of the high offices have become common. A recent instance is the use of the expression “namma RSS’’ by Karnataka Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri in the state Assembly. He not only made the remark, which was wrong, but also defended it, when questioned by Opposition members.
The person who becomes the Speaker is elected on a party ticket to the Assembly but is expected to suspend his party affiliation as long as he holds that office. This is because he has the responsibility to preside over and control the House, maintain order and act as an impartial referee during debates. He has to make rulings on procedures. All these call for a non-partisan attitude and a position of equal distance from the government and the Opposition. When Kageri identifies himself with the RSS in public in the House, while seated in the chair of the Speaker, this essential requisite of impartiality that should attach to the office is lost. The RSS guides the BJP, which is the ruling party, and so identification with it is identification with the BJP and the government. Even more worryingly, the RSS’ Hindutva ideology and avowed goal of making India a ’Hindu Rashtra’ are diametrically opposite to and subversive of the Constitution of India, on which the Speaker has taken oath.
Speakers have acted wrongly and brought infamy to their offices with their handling of cases under the anti-defection law in almost every state by favouring the ruling party. They have shown partisanship in the running of the House and in the interpretation of rules and procedures. Lok Sabha Speakers have also acted with bias to help the ruling party. Every time a Speaker acts wrongly, parliamentary democracy takes a beating. Statements like the one made by Kageri devalue and derogate constitutional democracy. It shows he is a political person even when he is in office and that he does not mind proclaiming it. In a genuinely democratic system, his statement would be most unacceptable. That he has made it with impunity and gets away with it shows the poor state of our democracy.