Two Bollywood Titans Who Remain Silent in Lok Sabha

The Implications of Silence in a Parliamentary Democracy

Newsreel Asia Insight #131
Feb. 14, 2024

Bollywood actors Sunny Deol and Shatrughan Sinha, renowned for their roles as tireless heroes on the silver screen, have, paradoxically, chosen a path of silence in the political arena. Perhaps they consider the responsibilities associated with being a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha and the articulation of concerns and viewpoints in this forum to be optional.

Deol, who is from the Bharatiya Janata Party and represents the Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab, and Sinha, a member of All India Trinamool Congress and who represents Asansol constituency in West Bengal, “did not utter a single word in the outgoing Lok Sabha,” says The Hindu, adding that they among the nine MPs who did not speak a word in the lower house.

When a Bollywood star transitions to the Lok Sabha, it looks like a script straight out of a high-drama blockbuster. Yet, the plot thickens, or rather, fails to, when these stars, known for their commanding dialogues, opt for silence over speech.

MPs are like the vital nerves in the body of democracy, connecting the brain (the government) to the rest of the body (the electorate). Just as nerves transmit signals that enable the brain to understand and respond to the body's needs, MPs convey the public’s concerns, aspirations, and grievances to the government. The Lok Sabha serves as the central nervous system where these signals are interpreted and acted upon. In this system, silence is akin to a nerve failing to transmit an essential signal, resulting in a missed opportunity to address the body’s needs, shape its responses, and ensure its well-being.

As reported by The Hindu, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha made efforts to encourage participation by Deol and Sinha, yet they opted to maintain their silence.

Their silence is shocking because several major debates have taken place in the current Lok Sabha, reflecting on various issues affecting the well-being of the populace.

One of the most significant and contentious debates has been around the agricultural reforms proposed by the government. The introduction of three farm bills, which aimed to change the way agricultural produce is marketed, sold and stored across the country, led to widespread protests by farmers. These debates focused on the impact of the reforms on farmers’ incomes, market access and the assurance of minimum support prices (MSP).

The Lok Sabha has also seen extensive discussions on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the government’s response, vaccination drives, healthcare infrastructure, economic support for affected populations and strategies for recovery. Debates have scrutinised the adequacy of measures taken and the way forward to ensure public health and economic resilience.

Further, economic slowdown and unemployment rates have been critical issues debated in the Lok Sabha. Discussions have revolved around the government’s economic policies, initiatives to spur growth, and measures to tackle rising unemployment, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the economy.

The introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) sparked significant debate within the Lok Sabha. These discussions focused on the implications for citizenship based on religion, the impact on minorities and concerns regarding national identity and human rights.

Furthermore, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has been a subject of debate, which included digital education, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges of ensuring equitable access to online learning.

Debates on environmental conservation, climate change policies and sustainable development have taken place, with discussions on India’s commitments to reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy and conserving biodiversity.

With the increasing digitisation of services and the internet’s role in daily life, the Lok Sabha has also debated issues related to data protection, privacy laws and the security of citizens’ digital data.

Nevertheless, the two politicians maintained their silence, disregarding the reality that they represent the voice of the populace. When they chose silence over speech, they not only diminished their own role but also detracted from the dynamism of the democracy they are meant to uphold.