Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
The possibility of normalcy in running of the Assembly session, generated when the House took up its business after non-functioning for almost a week since its commencement, got aborted just a minute after its day began today, to total frustration of the people of the State.
Had the Chief Minister – the de facto owner of the ruling BJD – not been trying to escape exposure of his dubious deals in debates of the Assembly, the treasury benches would not have been seen stymying its proceedings in blatant violation of its Rules and Procedures.
Whosoever is not watching the Assembly from its inner galleries, not watching whatever little the television channels are displaying, cannot know how the dignity of the House is being destroyed by its members. Posterity cannot know how the dreams and sacrifices of their forefathers are being shattered by the fellows that boast of people’s support to them.
Debates are reduced to writing, compiled and printed by the Assembly, which the posterity may peruse some day. But the nasty manners in which the members destroy the dignity of the House and force the Assembly into doldrums is not noted on records with the names of the misusers of their privileges who drag the rampart of democracy to such a blue funk.
We therefore suggest, the Governor should step in and issue orders for digital preservation of whatever is happening in the Hall, with unedited video records and also make legal arrangements for collection and preservation of all bites and videos the TV channels are recording inside and outside of the Hall for honest preservation thereof for the posterity and current education of the Members on how shameful is their action. Shame should be caused to them by making them see their conduct in specially convened conferences, as seeing the same may make them conscious of the political filth they are creating and help them have introspections and self-corrections.
I urge upon patriotic intellectuals to study this proposal and use their moral pressure in its favor, if they like, in order to save whatever iota of democracy we still possess, despite plutocracy having engulfed our land.