Amidst the ongoing debate surrounding the concept of ‘One Nation, One Election,’ the Opposition, as expected, has raised their voices in protest, labeling it as an assault on India’s democratic framework. However, upon closer examination, it becomes evident that the Congress party’s stance on this issue is nothing short of hypocrisy.
One of the key players in the Congress party, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has found himself at the center of this controversy. He initially consented to be a part of the committee formed by the Central government to examine the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal. This information comes from a government source, who revealed that Chowdhury had given his approval to join the committee before the official notification containing the committee members’ names was released.
Surprisingly, Chowdhury, who was named as a member of the High-Level Committee (HLC) established by the Centre to scrutinize the ‘One Nation, One Election’ concept, later made an about-face, declining to serve on the panel. His reason? He asserted that the committee’s “terms of reference have been prepared in a manner to guarantee its conclusions.”
In an unexpected turn of events, Chowdhury penned a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, formally refusing to participate in the committee. In the letter, he expressed concerns about the government’s motives, suggesting that the sudden push for a constitutionally questionable, pragmatically unworkable, and logistically challenging idea just months before the general elections raised serious red flags.
Government sources claim that Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had given his consent to be part of the ‘One Nation, One Election committee' before notification with names came out.
However, the Congress MP later declined to be part of the exercise in a letter to Union Home…
— ANI (@ANI) September 3, 2023
For those unaware, the Union Law Ministry recently announced the names of eight committee members, with former President Ram Nath Kovind serving as the committee’s chairperson. The committee’s mandate is to examine the feasibility of simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, municipalities, and panchayats.
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Besides the chairperson, the committee boasts a distinguished lineup of members, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Finance Commission chairperson NK Singh, renowned senior advocate Harish Salve, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap, and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari.
The Opposition’s outcry against the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal is not without reason. Critics argue that it could potentially undermine the principles of federalism and democracy upon which India’s political structure is built. However, they conveniently forget that until 1969, elections were held almost simultaneously in all the existing states of the country, alongside the parliamentary elections.
However, the Congress party’s stance on this matter seems to have shifted rather abruptly. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s initial willingness to be a part of the committee implies a degree of acceptance or at least an inclination to engage in the discussion around this proposal. Yet, his subsequent refusal, citing concerns about the committee’s terms of reference, raises questions about the party’s consistency on this issue.
In his letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, Chowdhury’s words convey a sense of suspicion regarding the government’s intentions. While skepticism and scrutiny of government actions are fundamental to a healthy democracy, it is essential to maintain a consistent and principled stance on important matters.
As the ‘One Nation, One Election’ debate continues to unfold, it is crucial for all stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue and maintain a consistent stance that aligns with their principles and beliefs.
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