It's time to show that we'll not be quiet. Aab ache din hum layenge. 

 

Let's take the matter in our own hands. 

-------------------------------

It is worth reminding the meaning of the constitution. The very preamble reads: “We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens….”

 

The meaning is clear. We, the people of this country, have given this constitution to ourselves to govern ourselves in a particular manner.

 

And that manner stems from our belief in democracy – a system of governance of the people, for the people and by the people.

 

Parliament and our elected representatives, therefore, have been given constitutional powers to make laws on our behalf, the people of India, to make laws. They are not sovereigns unto themselves. They are subject to people’s will and wishes. And that is why elections are held every five years.

 

To arrogate that the “elected” representatives have the sovereign right to make whatever law they want to make or that they are immune from public will and wish for the intervening five years is a flawed understanding of our democratic set up and the constitution that we have adopted.

 

That lesson needs to be driven to the elected representatives.

 

And what better way than to bring in a “right to recall” law to make sure those who willfully violate people’s trust, or so arrogate themselves as to be completely disconnected with what people want and think which the Anna’s movement has exemplified so clearly?

 

If we can have a right to recall law for our civic bodies, as is the case in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, we should also have such a law for our MPs and MLAs too.

- Prasanna Mohanty