New Delhi. Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Abhishek Singhvi on Monday accused the central government of reducing the role of governors to a pitiable level and said that either the post of governor should be abolished or a person should be appointed with the consent of all who is not involved in petty politics.
In an interview to PTI-Bhasha, he stressed the need for parliamentary reforms to ensure that the Chair works above party spirit. Singhvi, who was recently elected to the Rajya Sabha from Telangana, expressed concern over the confrontation between the Chair and the opposition in Parliament. He has become a Rajya Sabha member for the fourth time.
He said, “It is very sad.. by the time this term is over I will have completed 20 years in the Rajya Sabha. I value parliamentary spirit. I really believe in it. I believe that the Central Hall is not just a place, it is a concept.” He said, “I believe in big-hearted generosity apart from party spirit.” Referring to the mass suspension of MPs during the winter session of Parliament during the previous NDA government, he said, “You cannot deny democracy by saying that I will suspend 142 people due to disagreement. The opposition will have to put its point and ultimately the government will have its way. But I need to say my point and you need to say your point, let that process run on its own. There cannot be a parliament (artificial parliament) just for show.” He said that now this is happening in the states as well and an MLC is expelled from the House just because he criticized the government.
Singhvi said, “The essence of parliamentary democracy is freedom of expression, freedom of thought. I am speaking my mind no matter how objectionable it may be.” Citing the parliamentary system in England, he said, “I have advocated for this and have no hesitation in saying that it existed in the old days and to some extent it exists in England now. You decide in advance that a person will be the speaker in the next parliament and before the election, no one else will contest from his seat and the person concerned will be elected unopposed.” He stressed, “Now imagine how much strength you (the parliamentary system) will get by being elected to the speaker’s chair in this manner.”
Senior advocate Singhvi said, “I am strongly in favour of all parties agreeing that we will give one seat to a person, no matter who he is and that person should be elected unopposed. Or that person should leave the party. If you become President or Vice President, do you ever return to electoral politics? The same can happen for the Lok Sabha Speaker as well.” He said that the Lok Sabha Speaker has so much power that he decides on defection. If he also becomes biased, then what is left.
Singhvi made this remark against the backdrop of repeated deadlocks between the Speaker and opposition MPs in both the Houses of Parliament. In the last monsoon session, there were reports that the opposition was considering bringing a motion to remove Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar from his post, citing his “partisan attitude”.
Citing some states, Congress leader Singhvi alleged, “The present government has made the role of governors very pathetic… This government has degraded every institution, devalued it. I am very sad to see this.” He said, “I will not talk about Karnataka (case pending in court). But what happened in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal? Baba Saheb Ambedkar had made a provision that there cannot be two swords in one sheath… but here the governor is acting as the second chief executive.”
He said, “The governor obstructs governance. There is a delay (in approving bills). In Tamil Nadu, 10 bills were kept on hold and as soon as I approached the Supreme Court, two-three bills were approved a day before that and the rest were sent to the President.” When asked whether there should be a rethink about the post of governor, the Congress leader said that the post of governor should be abolished or a person should be appointed who is agreed upon by all and who is not involved in petty politics.
Giving an example, he said that a person like Gopal Krishna Gandhi should be the governor. Singhvi claimed that Congress will win the assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir and BJP is scared. He said, “If you talk to any person from BJP, you will know that everyone is nervous about the four states. Talk about Haryana… if there is dictatorship, no one can speak openly. The situation is similar in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.” He also raised questions about not holding the assembly elections of Haryana and Maharashtra together.
Singhvi said, “Why are elections being held separately in Maharashtra and Haryana? Did you not remember ‘Laadli Behna’ till now? Is this moral, right? Have you created a situation of equal opportunity? You (government) have hurt free and fair elections.” Regarding the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that coalition politics will be a painful lesson for this government because it is not in their psyche or nature and even today they will be doing this out of reluctance, hesitation or compulsion, not because they believe in it. He claimed that in the Lok Sabha elections, the public has demolished the extreme limits of arrogance and the notion of always being infallible.
If Congress comes to power, Rahul is 100% entitled to become PM: Singhvi
Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Abhishek Singhvi on Monday praised the “seriousness” and dedication of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha towards issues and said that if his party forms the government, Rahul Gandhi will be 100 percent eligible for the post of Prime Minister. In a conversation with PTI-Bhasha, Singhvi also said that everyone has become familiar with the seriousness of the former Congress president and people have become convinced that there is no difference between his actions and words.
He said, “Those who used to make fun of Rahul Gandhi, are scared today. Rahul Gandhi does not speak in double terms, he talks on issues. He is serious. Today his seriousness has reached every section, everyone has recognized him correctly.” According to him, people have started believing that Rahul Gandhi does what he says, which is completely opposite in the context of the Prime Minister of the country.
On Rahul Gandhi’s reputation and seriousness, Singhvi said that all this is earned by Rahul Gandhi and if Congress comes to power, can anyone ignore him? When asked if Rahul Gandhi is the future Prime Minister, he said, “100 percent whenever Congress comes to power.” This is the first time after a gap of 10 years that there is a Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, because the largest opposition party Congress did not have the required 10 percent members to claim this post in the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha. Rahul is representing Rae Bareli seat of Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha this time. Earlier, he has represented Amethi thrice and Wayanad once.