Desecration of The Temple of Democracy

(Prime Minister Modi in the 18th Lok Sabha)

Desecration of The Temple of Democracy  

-By Malhar Unmesh Narvekar

The so-called respecters of democracy have today, made a mockery of the very institution they claim to uphold. During the Prime Minister's speech, the opposition displayed a shocking lack of decorum and respect, incessantly disrupting and undermining the dignity of both the Parliament and the Speaker's chair. Their unrelenting sloganeering from the beginning to the end of the Prime Minister's address was a blatant affront to democratic norms. 

In stark contrast, during the Leader of Opposition's (LoP) speech yesterday, members of the ruling coalition maintained a respectful silence, honouring the solemnity of parliamentary proceedings. Yet today, the opposition not only disrespected the Prime Minister personally but also the sanctity of his office by shouting, "Pradhan Mantri tum shant raho, shant raho, shant raho!" 

Is this how we honour the position and the elder statesman who holds it?

Since the inauguration of the 18th Lok Sabha, the opposition has consistently behaved in a boisterous and disruptive manner. Even during the oath-taking ceremony, leaders like Owaisi tarnished the significance of the event with statements like "Jai Palestine." Maybe they did not have the guts or, more appropriately, the will to say "Jai Hind," "Bharat Mata Ki Jai," or "Vande Mataram!"


The LoP, in his speech yesterday complained that when he and the Prime Minister shook hands with the Speaker, the Speaker stood straight for him but bowed for the Prime Minister. The LoP forgets that in our Bharatiya sanskriti, it is customary to bow to elders as a sign of respect. And incidentally Respect is earned, not demanded.

If the opposition continues to act in such a flagrant and boisterous manner, they are digging their own political graves. I urge the ruling coalition to take this matter seriously.

As Sanjay Dixit states in Krishna Gopeshvara, "A rashtra is destroyed more by the silence of its good persons, who are in the majority, than the injustices wrought by the evil deeds of an oppressive minority." This is also a call to all Hindus to raise their voices and condemn the LoP's remark, "Hindu hinsak hai." Even if they claim this statement was directed at the ruling coalition members, labelling them as fake Hindus, would such statements be tolerated if directed at the so-called minorities?

After today's parliamentary proceedings, my respect for the Prime Minister has only grown. With patience and poise, he continued his speech, delivering a resounding rebuttal to the opposition's disruptive antics. He truly embodied the spirit of "Ek akela, sab par bhaari!"

In conclusion, I quote the words of Shri Sitaram Goelji, "The leftists swear by democracy only so long as they are in the opposition."