The post of Speaker commands a high level of dignity and is the guardian of democracy. It is the precedence all over the country and usually a person with high moral practice it.
It would be worth mentioning that former GLA speaker Pratapsingh Rane, when he was Speaker, kept himself away from party politics. He never attended Congress party meetings.
The same was expected from Rajesh Patnekar but surprised to see his presence in the party meeting despite being the Speaker.
How can we, the citizens, accept that the decisions given by Patnekar in the disqualification cases against 12 MLA’s were unbiased? He continues to attend the party meeting and functions.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemakrponn
The two days of former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis was no less than a three-day orientation programme or a training course for the BJP workers, karyakartas, which saw who’s who in the BJP attend teh said, classes.
Now while the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and the BJP Chief in Goa Sadanand Shet Tanawade are the permanent members of such meetings, what was disheartening to see was teh photograph of the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Rajesh Patnekar, awaiting along with the ministers and MLAs to take a lesson or two from the “master” Devendra Fadnavis.
Now, the Assembly is still not dissolved yet, and Patnekar still continues to be the Speaker. Hence, he must understand that the Speaker of the state assembly is a constitutional post. The Speaker’s chair is supposed to be unbiased and keep himself aloof from political meetings and party functions.
The post of Speaker commands a high level of dignity and is the guardian of democracy. It is the precedence all over the country and usually a person with high moral practice it.
It would be worth mentioning that former GLA speaker Pratapsingh Rane, when he was Speaker, kept himself away from party politics. He never attended Congress party meetings.
The same was expected from Rajesh Patnekar but surprised to see his presence in the party meeting despite being the Speaker.
How can we, the citizens, accept that the decisions given by Patnekar in the disqualification cases against 12 MLA’s were unbiased? He continues to attend the party meeting and functions.
He continues to act as a BJP karyakarta or leader instead of a Speaker.
Now the question arises, if governors are to keep off politics, should Speakers, who enjoy an equally dignified position under the Constitution, not behave accordingly?
Patnekar is stressed as he faces a tough fight for a party ticket in Bicholim and is trying to please his masters.
We wish to remind Patnekar that a Speaker is the epitome of impartiality and is regarded as the true guardian of the traditions of parliamentary democracy.
That is why he enjoys a unique position. A government may fall if a simple majority of members present in the House votes against it during a trust vote. But to remove a Speaker, the number of votes against him must be higher than half of the total strength of the House.
Our former national leaders had nicely articulated the Speaker’s role: “The Speaker represents the House. Heshe represents the dignity of the House, the freedom of the House, and because the House represents the nation, in a particular way, the Speaker becomes the symbol of the nation’s freedom and liberty. Therefore, that should be an honoured position. A free position and should be always occupied by persons of outstanding ability and impartiality. ”
The Constitution had entrusted the Speaker with the power to disqualify an MLA to maintain the House’s sanctity and purity of polity. It had not wished to entrust the Speaker with a weapon to help the ruling party maintain its numbers.
The will would not bring any perceptible change in the polity. When there is an all-around violation of constitutional ethos, it will require a governor or a Speaker, who are essentially political creatures, to possess exceptional character and resolve not to jump into the “political thicket “.
