Pramod Mahajan: If that’s the case, then keep us in power forever, riots won’t happen. I am saying this as a way to prevent riots. I have heard this many times.
Mr. Chairman, the birth of this government itself was strange. Last night I was watching Doordarshan, and today I also read in the newspapers that 13 parties are going to issue whips to their members. Whether they issued it or not, I don’t know, that’s their own matter. Whether they give or not is their wish. I was thinking, who will give a whip to whom and how? I thought of [Ramakant] Khalap ji. He is secular now. A year ago, there was an agreement between Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, BJP, and Shiv Sena. We fought the election and our effort was to make him the Chief Minister, but it couldn’t succeed because he lost the election.
Now he has become secular, and we have become communal. This keeps happening, it’s nothing new for us. I thought, in 13 parties, who will give a whip to whom from Khalap ji? I thought he would write the whip with his right hand and give it to the left hand. This government is formed like this. I thought Sheeshram ji will issue a whip to Satpal ji and Satpal ji will issue a whip to Sheeshram ji? Because those who were supposed to give whips have gone to Congress, and these have sat here. Now Narayan Dutt ji is not here, who will he give the whip to?
I want to give a small example. Khalap ji is sitting here. Recently, an Indian parliamentary delegation went to China. With your blessings and under Khalap ji’s leadership, we went. Nowadays, there is a great curiosity to know about democracy in China. Times have changed. Earlier, the Communist Party there used to come on the invitation of the Communist Party here. Now, the Chinese Communist Party wants to come on the invitation of the Bharatiya Janata Party and practice in India because they also know that these people have nothing left, what’s the benefit of having relations with them? Have relations with the new parties that are coming.
When we went to China, in the parliamentary delegation, there were Ramakant ji, Sriballav Panigrahi ji, and many other members, some were also Rajya Sabha members. There, some people asked how your democracy works because their parliament is different, their election method is different. Ramakant ji was our leader. We have an old friendship, so he told me to explain how democracy works and discuss it with them.
I told them that I would give them only the introductory details in this regard.
I am Pramod Mahajan. I am a Member of Lok Sabha. I belong to the single-largest party and I am in the opposition.
The Chinese were left looking aghast. ‘Is your party the single-largest party?’ I said, ‘Yes, we are the single-largest party in the House and we are in the opposition.
Then I pointed out to Shri Sriballav Panigrahi and told them he belongs to the second-largest party. Though he is outside the government, yet he is supporting the government.
Then I pointed towards Shri M.A. Baby and told them that he is the third-largest party. He is inside the Front but outside the government. And then I said, he is Mr Ramakant Khalap. He is the only Member of his party and he is in the government.
Now Mr. Chairman, if this front was born out of such contradictions, then you can do anything today — whether Sharad Pawar pulls the chain of the train or does anything else. It’s possible that you might replace Deve Gowda ji because he is the leader of 42 parties. Choose a smaller party from that, make him the Prime Minister. Gradually, opportunities to become Prime Minister in this Lok Sabha will increase for those who don’t have any party. I feel that the number of people behind him in the Lok Sabha won’t make him the Prime Minister; the fewer there are, the more likely he is to become one. It’s okay, he’s a neutral person, he won’t create trouble.
After one experience, if Congress wants to look at others, I have nothing to say about that. But this won’t provide a solution. The truth is that the thirst for power is the desire of the United Front, and the fear of law, fear of Congress, is the reason why this government came together. Otherwise, there’s nothing in this government. Why should we have compassion for the United Front? This front had 13 parties, the Sarkaria Commission one… (interruption) Did one or two parties break away from the 13 parties? (interruption) This is misusing Article 356, and this same government, even when our Chief Minister had a majority in Gujarat and proved it in the assembly, still toppled our government. Did it show compassion?…(interruption) We were the largest party in Uttar Pradesh.
You didn’t even have members, and you’re asking about my majority? Don’t go into useless talks, find your own members. Someone who doesn’t have any members is talking about majority. For you, even four are enough. That’s why their political activities have always been against the Bharatiya Janata Party. Just as Chandrashekhar ji is telling Atal ji to save Gurudev, you are doing the same. Look over there. First abuse and then say save – you can do this work, we cannot. People can criticise and say give support, we cannot take abuse day and night.
Mr. Chairman, now the question is what will happen to the budget. It’s a question of economic crisis, they should think about it. Why should we think? We are in the opposition, we are not supporters of any budget, it’s not our job to pass it. Ask the one whose job it is, why are you after us? You think first and then come.
[Muralidhar] Jena ji, you say that I don’t want to pass it. Even CPM said that they won’t let us pass it, Congress said they don’t care, yet why are you blaming BJP? BJP can be ready for anything in the national interest. But being ready in the national interest doesn’t mean madness where anyone can demand anything and we just give it saying, “Take it.” This is not an assembly of sages and saints. Just because the Vishwa Hindu Parishad is with us doesn’t mean everyone is a sage and we [support] this budget. I’m not giving a speech on the budget. Newspapers printed advertisements, cars cheaper, TVs cheaper, ACs cheaper, cell phones cheaper, thanks to Chidambaram ji, everything is just cheaper — should we support this?
Mr. Chairman, these are farmers, they are not worried about crop insurance. They are worried about open insurance. If they are worried about crop insurance, we can understand. So we don’t think we need to give support. Somnath ji, you are such a senior leader of the Leftist parties. I had already said before you came that I don’t want to say anything about this hypocrisy. For years it has been going on that Congress support is required. Their support is not required. If it goes on like this, I don’t think anything will come out of it.
Mr. Speaker, just now Somnath ji said in his speech – Sitaram Vajpayee. He is such a good speaker and he has also received the honour of being the best parliamentarian. It is natural that his prestige has increased even more. He didn’t say this by mistake. He is not such a bad speaker that he would forget ‘Kesari’ after Sitaram Kesari and use ‘Vajpayee’ of Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Sitaram. I know him. He is a very good speaker, a very big lawyer. He is also a professor. He teaches in law college. He called Kesari ‘Sitaram Vajpayee’ and what does Sitaram Kesari say? He says ‘Deve Gowda Vajpayee.’ That is, ‘Vajpayee’ is common in both. In this way, he wants to say that Vajpayee ji is dangerous. I want to say that Vajpayee is not dangerous. Vajpayee ji is this country’s great leader, a national hero. The public also believes this. No matter how much you try, it will all be in vain.
Why do you all come together after all? In the House, speeches were made from Shri Ram Vilas Paswan to Shri Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi. Everyone said that we should not have differences, make friends, take votes. Otherwise, these people will come. You said this right here in the House. You are not really afraid of democracy, you are really afraid of the Bharatiya Janata Party. If the Bharatiya Janata Party has to win, it will win by taking votes from the people. It will not win just by words. It will not win by any manipulation. The politics of prey does not work here.
If you want to win, you will have to go to the people and take votes from them. The people of India want the BJP’s government today. So no matter how much you try to make friends and maybe save your government for a few days, change the burden, bring some other lame horse, your government is not going to last longer than that. We are not worried. You are the culprits of today’s crisis, and it is also true that you fear us because you know that you have played money games in the last 10 months. If you play some more money games and do some mischief in the coming four to six months, the people of India will understand.
Mr. Chairman, if anyone can give India a stable government today, it is us and our friends together under the leadership of Atal ji who can give a stable government. We will now claim stability. Therefore, even if you get rid of this crisis today, if not today then tomorrow, and if not tomorrow then the day after, you will have to go to the people. And when you go to the people, whatever the result of this vote of confidence, we will come to the people under the leadership of Atal ji with so much trust that even your coming together cannot stop our rule.
Mr. Chairman, with these words, I oppose this proposal.
This is part of ThePrint’s Great Speeches series. It features speeches and debates that shaped modern India.