Parliament being deafened by an unruly din isn’t uncommon. But we appear to have tipped over to a new low, with religiously-charged slogans now being aimed pointedly at members. It started with the treasury benches chanting “Jai Shri Ram” when Asaduddin Owaisi rose to take his oath. He responded by hailing B.R. Ambedkar and his party, followed by two other invocations: “Allahu Akbar” and “Jai Hind”. Trinamool Congress leaders joined in with “Jai Kali Ma” and “Jai Bangla”, and soon it was a free for all, with the hall filled with various religious and nationalistic chants.
All this is disturbing. Casual observers might be tempted to consider it a matter of free speech. Also, Lok Sabha members are there to voice what their constituents want voiced. But most of the voices arose out of turn, and were clearly meant to be provocative. This is simply not done. Parliament must always represent the country’s rich cultural and religious diversity. It should be a place for representatives to unite, not out-shout opponents. The use of religious slogans for political battles will only exacerbate the bitterness in our polity. Not only that, it belittles the sanctity of these very slogans. Perhaps it is time to remind ourselves of the call Prime Minister Narendra Modi made barely a few days ago: for healthy debates in the House that lend an ear to what the opposition has to say. This requires all members to respect one another. For the Lok Sabha’s dignity, decorum must prevail.
