• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Q}]t?XS.R 7 PIJBUG OKI^V;.:iGiiS Parliamennary Oomocracy provides for channels tbroujch which the grlevnnces of the p«ople ere ventilated by their representatives In the le#?lslPturQ. The day to day ftdmlnl- strntlon of the t^overm ont al^ht cstise certain disturbances and inconveniences to the people, a responsible body, the demorraticslly elected f^overnraent has to t^*ke a serious note of such happeninps and has to avoid their recnrrwnce. To ventilate the rrievances of the r>eoole the iwewhere have recourse to: {») Ad,1onmrrtent Motions; (b) Discussions; (c) Resolutions; (d) Celling Attention .^^otions; and (e) Helf- an-Po>ir !)i8CU83lons. (s) ^d.loummeijt Motions Mature Adjournment motion Is one of the substantive motions before the lesrlglature. Accor'^inf to Ersklne ^!ay, it leads to the discussion relating to the matters of enjRr^ent nature. It is kind of censure motion. In case the motion is carried, it exposes that government has been conniving or connived at some Important public matter. This ml^fht lead to a disclosure of sovernnent’ s not conimanding a majority In the House* IBS 1«7 CondltloHB for Admitting Ad:1ournment Motlona A brief notice containing the subject matter is served to the Speakor, Minister concerned and the Secretary. The notice to fulfil the following; conditionss (a) The matter in the notion should relate to a definite and specific matter of public importance. (b) It should not relate to a disputable matter. (c) It should be simple. (d) The subject in T.he motion ahould be confined to the recent matters. (e) The matter of the motion must have a concern with those subjects which come under the purview of the 3tRte (rovernment. (f) Issue qhould relate to t^e general j^rievGnces of the people and not to an lndivldunl*a c;rievance3% (g) Matters relatl^i^ to the msusI exercise of statutory powers or refusal to use such powers cannot be treated as matter of public importance. (h) If any lep^al matter is involved and tht courts can be resorted to, then that matter is disallowed. (i) The Botion should not repeet the subject which is already discuesPd In the House. (j) It should relate to one subject only. (k) The subject matter which is being discussed In the Select Committee should not be raised throui^h euch motion. (1) The matters waiting .or the court-decisions cannot constitute the subject of the adjournment motion. (m) The subjects before the Commissions and Tribunals also cannot be raised. The adjournment motions in ch* Bombsy/Maheresy-trB Lv^islfiture vere nover so serious as to endanKer the posi­ tion of the government. They however served the purpose of ventilating the grievances of the people. nnillngual State and Ad.loumment f^otione The adjournment motions moved during the period between the second general election and the reorganization of the Stflte of Bombay had a vital importf<nce. The govox*nment followed the bilingual principles; to oppose It , the Semyukta Ilfihartshti'a :?ovement wtia launched by the Opposition. The people responded favourably to the movement* IPubllc oolnlon noved pf>:?'irst the government. On this backf^round, th^ frequent police flrlnjrs on the participants In the TPovement worsened the position of the government. Particularly, the flrins; at Ahmedsbad in connection with the removal of Shahld Smarak gave the final fatal blow to gov^^rnment preatl|i;e« Shrl 'Cotawala who was appointed to conduct an inquiry into the J\hraedabad firing in his report said: "It la clear from the evidence which I have discussed above that one of the principal causes for the unrest which preveiled in /hraedabad from A u^st 1956 till the event which happened in Auf^at l'?5^^ was the formation of the present bilingual Stcte of Bombay, People's demand for non-removal of the Shahld-Sraarek was reasonable. Lmotional attachment w^^s involved in the matter. All these firings led to the 1^9 propossls of artjoumn«nt notlrins Pnd renderpd the Opposition opportimlty to criticise the flovemncnt. During 1956 the Rovernroent succeeded in softening the polltlcel situation with the f^eature of s llber&l atti­ tude. The silence on the part of the peoole made the government think that the people had accepted the bilingual formula• Since then the government followed a stem policy nnd did not hesitate to open flrlni' on mnny occasion#. In fsct, the T^’ovemrnt ^or the iinillnf*uBl state in ^’estpm Maha­ rashtra Pnd Gujarat was not extinguished. The freouent flrinfts end the proposed DdjoumTient motions louered the government prestige find Indirectly str«*n^rthen9d the position of the Opposition, whose principal demand wt^s the foi^tion of the two unilineiial states. f.aintenance of Law and Order and Ad.loumrient Motions A number of proposed ndjoum'nent motions were relating to the firinir incidents. The Opposition members used to cell the f^ov^mment as 'triRT^r-hanny*. They cauj^ht the government in a fix, because the e^ovemnent had to shield its adfflini- stratlve officers and the Con^^reis .^^embers had to toe the line of the povem’vn t. The government could only r^wible about its stock arguDjent tnat It had to m?iintaln law and order In the State. The explanations on the adjournment motions bore a serious political rivalry. The merabors of the Opposition 2 susT^ected political motivation behind these firings. 190 The firings f»nd adjournmont motions Indlnflted th© unheppy relationship betwosn the offlcf^rs Pnd the people. The police firing at Ulhasnfiffar was termed eg a struj^glo between democracy and burenucrftcy. Lathi»Charges All adjournment motions relating to the lathi charge* were directed to.’ards the party Interests. The Congress Party rnd i^ppositlon were In v»en competition vlth each other.^ Instead of focussing attfintlon on the ventilation of grievance's th9 **!efflber» of the Legislature and Government continued accusing asch other. Many tines the fovemrent held the leaders of the Owoeltion responsible for the firings. The firings and lathl-ch»r«^es were so freouent that it wes the duty of the government to hold weetlngs with the Opposition leaders and to dlBCUss this sprlons in«ttpr, Governnfent should have token Into confidence the Opposition leaders* The Goveranent on the contrary was engaged In merely retaliating the charges. Ev<?ry time gcv^rnr.ent as well as the Opposition members gav« party colouring to the matter.^ It would liuve been far better, had the majoiity and Opposition parties coitsidered the problf»ms on an impartial basis* The ruling party a» well the Opposition gave political colouring to the sevcr&l adjournment motions* The political clrcunistances in ^^h&^a8ht^^ were responsible to this 191 partlcul?»r ten<!«ncy. Thm Opposition menbers know the fact that th« adjoiimn«nt motions on flrlnR were important elerawnta that caused th® tinillnetjfll State Into being. There­ for© the Oppoaitlon tried to use this mensure for lowering the prestige of the ^vfirnment even after the realisation of the f'^ahersshtrP State. The firings pot an emotional baek|;round. The untimely ambition of defeating the ^^overn- raent made the Opposition search for political motivation of the fovernment In every incident of firing. Since than the seriousness In the dlscuanioaa of adjournnisnt mot;ions dlmlnlsher^. This tendency result«?d In the retaliation by the Conf!;ress Party. The *fov‘»m‘»ient refused to accept a ohara;o8 and almo'st ?verytl'*j'», durlnpr these rnotlons, argued that for maint»lnlTig Inw and order it had to open Tire. It also sssuref^ the lef»islytors of not undon-'iining the ways of the people for j;ettin;T their .iustlclable dari^nds satisfied, ^'owever, the O^nosition did not believe in the inronastlon surtplled by the f^ovprnment and remained hypercritical of govern-^ent in this behalf. The idaoloelcal cl^^shea between the Comunist Party and the Prnja "ocialint Party ’%ere observed. ”hen damonatra- tions were mads to expreas reaent»n«nt over the murder of the ConKoleee lendf>r Patrice Lumumba the police resorted to latH-charpe. The Cormnunist participants vrere large In number in the demonstration. It w3s criticised by the 192 Communist nembera that exceBslve police force was us«d to control the demonstrators. Shri M. Joshl did not »gree wltb the Coraruniflt members*^ This Incident dlsplsye^^ the attitude of the Congress Party towerds the Coainunlsts* Shrl Y. F. Chsven, the then Chief Minister^ taunted the Communist members that when China enddni;ered the existence of India» they did nothin^!;. The s^me Incident as argued by one member of the Assembly Shrl B. D. Jagtap {Connunlst, Byculls) Indicated unfair relationship between the police offlcera and the Assembly members. He stated that t.he police officers deliberf»tely caned the Assembly members. The ree:lonallsin slso observed in the adjournment motions. The police officer ordered a lathi-charge, when the Nap-Vldrsrbha ^ndolan was Initiated* Shrl Dandekar (MLC) moved an adjournment motion on the subject. Thouprh the motion was disallowed the nenher succeedrd In seeking perml* Bsion of raisinr^ two hours* discussion on the sarae subject*^ i^y relslnf^ some adjournment motions the lepilslators tried to point out t^0 frlltire of pcvernr.ient policies pertaining to the Adlvrasis. The f^ovarnnent relteri'ted its policy of Improvinp; t>e economic conditions of the Adlwasls end landless farrof^rs. A morcha of Adiwasls and landless f8rff»(»r8 was orp’Rnlzed 1n Khed (Poona District). It demanded food and Innd. The Opposition m«ant that the rov^^rn^nent did not succed In inplementinr its policies. However, government made a statement and tried to convince the Council that, no 193 serious natter was involved In thia behclf.

Load more

  65

Copy Link