Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal was, on 30/06/2014, caught on
camera purportedly making a sub-human statement, “I will ask our boys to go and
rape women …. If necessary”, setting abysmal standard of human behaviour. Pal had commented him saying, “If any CPM man
is present here, listen to me. If you
ever touch any Trinamool Congress worker …. I will let loose my boys in your
homes and they will commit rape….”, the MP had warned, confirming the ingredients of all that is
contrary to the dignity of the House, characterized by vulgar display of
intolerance and indiscipline. Tapas Pal joined the chaotic bandwagon of
making absurd remarks.
Retired IPS Officer Kiren Bedi tweeted: “Wither we as a
society? An MP of the ruling party openly threatens rape and violence! Woman party chief also a CM silent! Police
looks on!” The controversial comment triggered an uproar. The political furore is growing high
demanding that the Speaker should take action and the MP should be sacked and
arrested. These remarks are absolutely
disgraceful and speaks volumes of utterly shallow mindset. Another day, another
example of how Indian politics deals unabashedly in the currency of misogyny. The crime and conversation around sexual
violence against women has been amplified across various channels. The dignity of a woman has become cheaper
than a candy, isn’t it?
Shame on the family
“On behalf of
him, I am saying sorry”, said Nandini, wife of the TMC MP, attempting some
damage control, thanks to our colonial masters for bequeathing the five-letter
wonder “SORRY”. Pal’s apology is only
from the lips, not from the heart. It is
not his wife that should apologise for him, he should confront his deeds by
himself. Being a woman herself, she
should demand her husband to exit public life.
Any mother will be ashamed of
such remarks, presumably Pal’s mother as well.
What would have been the reaction of Nandini, her husband MP
and Bengal Chief Minister & TMC leader Mamta Banerjee, had the same
utterance been from any other party politician?
How does Pal feel that he is putting his wife before the public into the
shameful situation? Isn’t it like
sending mummy to explain away your lapse? Had Mamta asked Pal resign his MP seat,
it would have enhanced the prestige of the TMC leader and would have set better
standards. Isn’t Pal a political anomaly?
Alas, a party whose MP does not respect women is led by a woman! It tantamounts
to all women are invisible victims. Nevertheless, it is utopian, higher the position, harsher the punishment. The TMC supreme should have slapped a suspension,
pending enquiry. Why no one remembers
about the Code of Conduct of MPs?
Need for tough
presiding officers
What can one expect when over 30 per cent of legislators have
felony, convictions, or charges pending? No wonder, rapists and criminals roam
free. Why he is not arrested for
instigating heinously criminal threats, nor Parliament impeaching him?
The parliament should move a privilege motion against him. A Public Interest
Litigation has been filed, as his remarks are more criminal than political. MPs are expected to set high standards of
probity and rectitude. His remarks only
buttresses the point that today the need for emotional quotients to
be taught whilst as a young child, while one cannot forget that West
Bengal is renowned as the land of scholars like Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit
Ray …..
There should be clear and definite mechanisms to deal with the
disruptions and the scope of the Speaker should be extended empowering him to
the extent which is absolutely necessary.
There is a dire need to make MPs accountable for their actions committed
that disgusted the parliamentary standards.
Like animals who trust the butcher, we continue to trust our
politicians. Our respectable parliament
has become a fool’s paradise where they can do anything backed by
constitutional cover. We are all busy in
criticizing the system and feel that our work is done, without providing a
solution. Freedom of speech does not bestow on him to lash his tongue.
It is overdue the presiding officers redeemed the pledge they
have repeatedly made at countless conferences to observe a “code of conduct”
for legislators and create strong disincentive against disruption. Yet again, it is a clear warning to our
politicians who have made a mockery of power vested in them by the
electorate. The privileges extended to the
MPs are being misused as it evades the ambit of judicial intervention. Bring
back T.N. Seshan and make him the Speaker.
We need people of steel to enforce decorum. The parliament resembles a patient in coma,
its faculties frozen, its strength ebbing, with no consciousness at
all. It is
estimated that disruptions and adjournments has cost the taxpayers more than
Rs.250 m. To rewind public memory, in December 2012, President
Pranab Mukherjee’s son Abhijit Mukherjee (Cong.) brought huge disrepute to his
family name when he termed the anti-rape protesters in Delhi as
“dented-painted” women. His sister had
to apologise for his abnormal utterance.
One often felt the politicians are insensitive but never
realised that a few of them could be downright stupid too. Pal has revealed himself and no amount of
apology, withdrawal, denial or explanation will take away the fact that he is hopelessly
undemocratic and seriously deficient in either intelligence or tact. Indian women are having high image in the
world. In general, Indian women are
conscious of dress code as parents from childhood take care of this. Think before you wink. The women’s issue has been for a long time
neglected by every political party.
Sonia Gandhi did not unseat Abhijit Mukherjee. Today Mamta has done the same thing,
explicating that women’s dignity is secondary.
A missed opportunity to be a
role-model.
Can't the judiciary be proactive?
Your Honour, if Bengal government doesn’t act, can’t Courts consider
suo-motu cognisance? When most pillars
of democracy are guilty of lack of action, isn’t judiciary the last hope? Venomous
leaders, small and big, talk about killing, raping and revenge - a political
culture permeated in our system. The 16th
Lok Sabha reportedly had the highest number of MPs with criminal cases against
them. According to Association for
Democratic Reforms, 34 per cent of the new MPs face criminal charges, who will
be our law-makers. Can a logical bad
input produce a good output? In many
countries, with strict enforcement of law, these politicians wouldn’t have even
contested the polls.
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