Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament in India is now serviceman like other employees of central government or state government or public sector undertaking or bank and insurance companies. They are now high wage earners. Their annual package is around fifty lacs with no fear of action from employer voters. No minimum qualification is needed to become an MP. No age bar is there for becoming an MP. No recruitment test or interview is essential, only to face the voters once in five years. A person may be millionaire, crorepati or even a criminal, he or she may become MP. Even criminals may think of becoming an MP he or she has developed art of speaking. Hitherto good speaker used to get a chance to become a CEO at best. Privileges MPs enjoy are as follows

All Member of Parliament is entitled for pension even if he or she serves as MP for a single day. Other employees (especially bank employees) are not sure of getting pension if he or she leaves bank’s job even after serving for twenty or thirty years or even more.

Other employees need some basic qualification relevant to post for recruitment, some examination to pass and some interview or group discussion to get the service .But MP need not possess any qualification. Even a minister need not have knowledge of Portfolio he is allotted.

MP‘s service is at least guaranteed for five years.

They will face the interview (fresh election) only after five years as other employees face examination written or interview or both for promotion. Promotion of MP to minister is not guaranteed or is not based on performance. MP with single day experience may become Minister and on the other hand MP with 30 years experience may not be found suitable for inclusion in council of Minister.

There is no periodical appraisal or assessment of their performance and they need not be afraid of any action or removal from the post of MP at least for five years. They cannot be serviced any notice for non attendance in Parliament, or for creating nuisance, or for sleeping in Parliament or for not participating in debate. They may not be on duty and they may be out for personal reasons or on foreign tour with family or loitering in Delhi absenting from Parliament or even sitting and sleeping in their residential quarter in Delhi or enjoying dance bar in Delhi absenting from parliament session, but they cannot be questioned because it is always supposed that they are with their voters and doing some work for voters and their constituency.

On the contrary, a peon or a Secretary in service is always afraid of action from his boss and from his minister. Even for a single day leave, he has to flatter his boss. His entire career depends on quality and quantum of flattery he extends to his bosses, quantum of bribe earned by him is shared with his boss. An employee right from peon to secretary has to depend for all purposes on his boss, otherwise he will be spoilt. Secretary or any good officer may highly educated, talented and experienced but he can be punished by an illiterate MP or illiterate Minister like Lalu or Mulayam Mayawati or Madhu Koda. Anytime, any day and any moment, they can be at least transferred from cream post and shunted to remote and critical post or from respectable post to third class post from a peaceful place to crime prone area or naxal affected area.

Even if MP does not perform he will not be punished by anyone because there is no controlling authority. If any MP loses next election he will not be treated as non performer.

If a person is somehow or other elected and even if he willfully does not perform and he involves himself only in corrupt practices, none can raise voice or take any punitive action. “Saiyan (husband) Bhai Kotwal (police) to Dar Kahe Ka”. MP cannot be recalled from service for five years whereas a clerk or even senior most IAS and IPS officer can be removed from service after a few days in service.

Survival of any serviceman depend everyday on whims and fancies of his boss but that of MP depends on voters and that too after five years. For at least five years MP is unbeatable, unquestionable, undisputable and unassailable king and he can rule over his maker (voters) at least for five years without any fear or any action from his mentor voters.

None is empowered to seek explanation or issue charge sheet or suspend him for indiscipline or willful absenteeism or not being punctual. MP cannot be punished for indulging in financial crime.MP is not answerable and accountable to any one. Even if there is any regulator like cabinet of speaker, they are MP themselves and hence there is practically no fear.

There is no question of any action against any MP of ruling party. If any action is taken against any MP of opposition group entire party will agitate, make hue and cry, fight with chairs, throw chair on speaker, abuse each other, stall proceedings of Parliament as long as contemplated action against erring MP is not withdrawn.

There is practically no code of conduct for MP. They are free to do whatsoever they like
After all they are called as Public representative. They are answerable to voters. They are elected by innocent and illiterate voters and hence they have to learn the tact how to befool the voter on the eve of next election and how to win their vote by hook or by crook.

MP can make false promises, motivate voters either on caste ground or quota issue or communal matter or even purchase them by offering some gift or some cash or some wine or through offering any temporary temptation to voters. They can even force voters to cast their precious votes in their favour by issuing even threatening pamphlets among voters.

MPs of all parties are unanimous on their personal matters and personal benefits like salary revision or for non-action against erring MP. MPs are not afraid of leave without pay .MP cannot be barred from seeking another election or becoming a minister even if he or she is undisciplined. Even if an MP is accused of serious crime or MP is accused by CBI or jailed due to criminal charges, his service is not terminated or suspended before five years term is completed. Rather he may be given a safe seat to contest election from Rajya Sabha or nominated as MP directly or made Governor of a state like Shiv Raj Patil or made President of India.

An accused person or a charge sheeted person or a person with adverse police report cannot imagine of a government job but he or she can contest an election and become MP if he has developed an art to trap voters in his net in his constituency. This is why hundreds of hard core criminals have managed their entry into Parliament.

Last but not the least , an employer has the right to remove his employee but voters who employ an MP has got no right to take any action against his employee MP , not to speak or imagine of removing him or recalling MP.

23.08.2010