New Delhi: When it opened six decades ago, it was a highly revered institution, packed with stalwarts who won freedom for India and where debates were of high quality. As parliament marks its 60th anniversary on Sunday, analysts and even MPs admit that disorder has become the order of the day in both houses.
A lot of other sweeping changes have taken place too.
The first Lok Sabha, formed after the 1952 election, was dominated by the Congress and the towering presence of Jawaharlal Nehru, with the Communists being the main opposition.
Today, while still heading the ruling coalition, the Congress is a much weakened political force, surviving on the support of not so loyal allies. The Communists are a pale shadow of their former self.
The percentage of MPs without secondary education — many gave up schooling for the independence struggle — was almost a quarter in 1952. It is now just three per cent.
Most MPs in the first House were lawyers by training. Now most are linked to agriculture.
There is a noticeable shift in the age profile too.
In 1952, only 20 per cent of MPs were 56 years or older. In 2009, when the last Lok Sabha election was held, this zoomed to 43 per cent, said Devika Malik of PRS Legislative Research, a think tank.
Speeches, debates and interventions in the House were of a very high order. Even when they differed with their opponents, everyone maintained decorum.
Sixty years later, this has been the biggest casualty.
Senior politicians fondly recall the days when disruptions were infrequent and ruckus, sloganeering and rancour were almost unheard of.
Cabinet minister Virbhadra Singh, who entered the Lok Sabha in 1962, told IANS: “Disruptions on small issues never happened earlier. Members strongly expressed their differences of opinion but there was hardly an occasion when Parliament was disrupted. Now this is the rule rather than the exception.”
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sumitra Mahajan said members in earlier decades reflected a national view in their thinking. “They had a pan-India approach to issues. Now state perspective has become more pronounced.”
Mahajan, into her seventh term as a Lok Sabha member, said there was respect for senior leaders in the past. If any of them stood up to speak, members would listen without creating a din.
“In later days, even Atalji had to face disturbances,” she said, referring to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Political analyst S Nihal Singh agreed the standard of debates earlier was very high. “There is much less real debate now, much more of noise and disturbance.”
Former Lok Sabha secretary general Subash C Kashyap said Parliament only reflected the larger society.
“They (MPs) are representatives of people that we are… Of our weaknesses, our culture, sense of values, our indiscipline… If there is indiscipline in society, it is bound to be reflected.”
Kashyap said there was more discussion on international affairs when Nehru was the Prime Minister.
More disorder means less work in Parliament.
According to PRS legislative Research, the first Lok Sabha passed an average of 72 bills every year.
This has decreased to 40 in the 15th Lok Sabha. (IANS)