A Tamasha called Commission

Indian politicians are one of the shrewd human species in the world. They can wriggle out of any situation with ease and mostly unscathed. For that, they have developed techniques and tools that look wonderful for those who do not think. And charismatic politicians could use these tools to their own advantage.

Safety valve

Commissions appointed by Government are safety valves of politicians. It is again a legacy of British Raj that used to appoint commissions to fulfill their agenda, when people oppose their policies or actions. That was a smart management principle of colonial masters. Indian politicians took that same idea or concept and use against their own people without guilt or remorse.

One of the legacies is the commissions that are constituted periodically. When there is popular opposition to any issue, politician can appoint a commission and escape all the brick bats. The Former Prime Minister of India Narashima Rao was pulled up for his silence or inactivity when Babri Masjid was pulled down in Ayodhya by so called Pseudo-nationalists lead by .Pseudo-moderates'; he had a safety valve of Liberhan Commission. The purpose was not to investigate the truth or punish the guilty but for temporary relief from criticism from around the world. It was a political tool for self-preservation.

Judicial officers

Indian judiciary is known for slow pace. There are thousands of cases pending before our learned judges for decades. And these judicial officers who serve in the system start losing the 'sense of urgency'. Two decades is the estimated average time for cases to be completed. Generally, the sitting judges would not be available to be tools of political masters to execute hidden agenda in the form of Commissions. So, the retired judges are summoned to perform this job.

The retired judges do not look at the job description given to them, but have to read between the lines to decipher the political intention of the appointment of Commission. It is usually to save the skin of the politician who appoints the Commission (or whitewash politicians sin of omission or irresponsible act). And also these retired judges look at these Commissions as Post-retirement employment that gives them huge salary, perks, prestige and social life. Invariably, these esteemed judges would take long time (17 years as in the case of Liberhan Commission) to come up with their findings. By the time the Commission results are published, the younger lot of the general public may not even know what it is all about, the people involved could be old or retired or dead and gone. For example, my son who is seventeen years old does not know what this Commission is all about. Effectively the population below the age of 25 years may not even have any memory about these events. That means a majority of Indians do not have any idea about the whole episode. The Commission's life is extended without any valid reason, or just for the Judge and his team to have a comfortable life. In essence, the Judicial Commission becomes a bureaucratic department of the Government.

Acceptance or Rejection

After the Commission submits the report, the Government would take time to read and understand the contents. This can take few weeks or few years or even few decades. It depends on the pressure exerted by the groups who have stake in that matter. It could be the Opposition parties or media or some social activists.

After performing all these rituals, the Government could simply reject the report of the Commission that was prepared for so many years, with millions of rupees of the tax payers money; what a public wastage? The report would be accepted only if there are political gains for the political party in power.

Debate and discussion

If the Commission report is accepted, it is placed in the Parliament or respective State Assembly for debate and discussion. Amartya Sen describes discussion as basic principle in Democracy. But, it is not understood by the 'party with difference' РBharatya Janata Party. They are masters is obstructing the discussion in the Parliament or in the media. They do not have any regard for the opinion of others. For more than one hour they were shouting slogans inside the Parliament when the Home Minister, Chidambaram was presenting his version of the Liberhan Commission report. The whole world was able to see how this party lacked minimum courtesy or d̩cor or discipline. Public do not understand why such party could not be de-recognized as political party by the Election Commission of India?

Action Taken Report

After seventeen years, what action can a Government take against the guilty? There is a ritual of presenting this report in the Parliament or Assembly. It should be rather termed as "Inaction Report" as nothing emerges out of this.

Entertainment

Commissions are political tool for the political party in power and employment opportunity for retired judges and few bureaucrats with perks, power and prestige. These Commissions provide some sensational reports for the media to enhance their market. They are 'reality shows' entertainment or tamasha for the public who unknowingly pay for these expensive enterprises or games our politicians play.

Ban or enact a law

The Government should ban all appointment of Commissions as most did not bring any solace or solution. There are other methods and means in the constitutional provisions to solve these issues. Or the Government should enact a law that the Commissions period cannot exceed two years and no extension permitted under any circumstances. Only sitting judges should be appointed, so that they would at least like to go back to their regular duties early. Will any politician speak out? Will the media take up this issue? Who bothers?