New Delhi: Harivansh, senior leader of the Janata Dal (United), took over as the new deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha last month. His appointment is significant not just because it broke the Congress party’s nearly four-decade grip on the post but also because it paved the way for a regional party leader to take over.
In an interview with Mint, Harivansh spoke about a series of issues including the need to make the Rajya Sabha relevant, greater coordination between the treasury and opposition benches as well as the requirement to revisit rules around conduct of members in the House. Edited excerpts:
You recently took over the post of deputy chairman in Rajya Sabha. What are your priorities? As a first time parliamentarian, what are the challenges?
I am a first time member of Parliament and now I am deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha in my first term. Our biggest priority in a parliamentary democracy is to improve the standard of debates in Parliament, especially Rajya Sabha.
I have cordial relations across the political spectrum and all political parties agree to the challenges before the country. India is a diverse country with different languages, culture and political ideologies but we have a moral duty towards people to find solutions for these problems. The mutual respect between political parties and leaders should be visible on the floor of the house.
You are from a regional party. What is the role of regional parties in Parliament which is mainly dominated by the two national parties?
Parliament is the biggest forum in a democracy for debates and discussions. All parties and ideologies should get space to articulate their thoughts. Time allocated to political parties depends on the strength of the political party in the house. There is a framework and we all have to work accordingly.
It is our duty to ensure that voices and views of everyone is heard in Parliament. Everyone should get an opportunity to take part in the debate but it can only happen in the already existing framework. Efforts will be made to ensure that views of smaller parties also get heard in the House.
Productivity has been a key challenge in both Houses of Parliament. How do you plan to address it?
The country is facing numerous problems, and all parties are aware of these challenges. We have to discuss these issues before the country. We should create an environment to hold discussions on problems before the country. These are issues where consensus should emerge and we should work on an agreed roadmap.
BJP is the largest party in Rajya Sabha, yet it chose a candidate of a smaller regional party as its nominee. What, according to you, is the political reasoning behind this?
This is a political question and it should be answered by related political parties. But yes, I am a part of NDA and I was a candidate of NDA. Numbers matter in democracy and BJP is a big party. It got everyone together.
Are you in the favour of whether measures like suspending members could help in reducing disruptions?
I don’t want to say this about any one particular step. Our rules which have been around for so long should be revisited. After revisiting, a consensus among all political parties should be reached. It is our responsibility to ensure how our work, conduct and self-discipline improves.
When you say it is time to revisit rules, which rules are you referring to?
Of course, disruptions happen and I am talking in that context. It is about conduct, rules that are there in Lok Sabha and what is its situation in Rajya Sabha. it should be revisited and consensus sought with all political parties. Issues should be addressed.
A section of critics have questioned the validity of Rajya Sabha. Some have called it “tyranny of the unelected”. How do you look at this kind of criticism?
On questions like these, the members of the constituent assembly had gone in detail about why a second House is necessary. The essence of those arguments were that Lok Sabha is directly elected by the people. The laws that are made, to ensure that there a deeper discussion on it, a second chamber was necessary.
Our Constitution says that we should prove through our work as to what our relevance is. Our work is how to improve on laws.
It is after a long gap that a non-Congress member is on the post. How do you look at this shift?
We are in a democratic country, and our democracy is maturing. Our political parties are different, there are regional and national parties this is the beauty of the democracy. We all work together for the benefit of the country. The post of deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha is a constitutional post and now I have to work with all political parties for the benefit of the country. It will be my endeavour to work for the people.
There are critical issues right now which are being discussed. One is the long pending women reservation bill and other is the demand for simultaneous elections which has gained momentum in the past few years. What is your view on it?
In principle, we all are in agreement that if you don’t give half the place to half the population of the country, then the pace of growth of this country will not be there. I feel personally that this should happen and you will see that states like Bihar which gave 50% reservation to women is working so well. A feudal state like that of Bihar, when it gave opportunity for girl child education and reservation for women then how the society changed. If they get place in states, in the country and in Parliament then I am sure India will progress further.
On simultaneous polls, I do not want to say anything but the Election Commission has itself said that this intent is very correct but there are some practical difficulties which should be resolved together.