Profile of a Politician with Loose Tongue
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: September 28, 2012 -
Sushil Kumar Shinde - Union Minister of Home Affairs
The dictionary meaning of 'Loose Tongue' says, "A tactless, undiplomatic and insensitive manner of speaking, often thoughtlessly carried out, and likely to cause offense, indignation, embarrassment or emotional hurt in others".
Looking at the way Sushil Kumar Shinde has been wagging his tongue since taking over the charge of Union Minister of Home Affairs in July this year, it appears that his loose tongue is here to kick up more ruckus and cause embarrassment to his other Cabinet colleagues in the embattled Congress-led coalition UPA Government.
After his tall claim over alleged Pakistan-based elements using social networking websites to circulate morphed pictures to whip up communal tension in India in the wake of mass exodus of Northeast people from major cities of the country, which ultimately came to nothing, Sushil Kumar Shinde has once again courted controversy with his 'short public memory' remark.
Addressing an award presentation ceremony at Pune on September 16 last, Shinde was quoted to have said, "Earlier the Bofors scam was the hot debate all over the country.
Later people forgot it. Now it is coal. This too will be forgotten. Once hands are washed off coal, they again become clean", thus inviting the ire of the Opposition.
Back home, Manipur People's Party (MPP) yesterday (September 26) went after Sushilkumar Shinde hammer and tongs over his another controversial 'tongue wag' on the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit in Manipur.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi on September 10 in connection with the Private Member Resolution passed by Manipur Legislative Assembly for introduction of Inner Line Permit System, Shinde had contested that, "Our Constitution will not allow such things. Any sensible person who believes in the Constitution will not pass such a bill."
Condemning the remark of Shinde, firebrand MPP leader and former MLA O Joy has contended it as a breach of privilege and contempt of the House.
Quoting references from the book written by Kaul and Shakdher on Practice and Procedure of Parliament, which noted that "It is a breach of privilege and contempt of the House to make speeches, or to print or publish any libels reflecting on the character or proceedings of the House or its Committees, or on any member of the House for or relating to his character or conduct as a MP", O Joy maintained that the remark of Shinde has not only cast a serious aspersion on the image of Manipur Legislative Assembly, which represents the entire people of the state but also lowers down its dignity.
O Joy is all set to forward a copy of the text of the statement of the Union Home Minister to all political parties in Manipur for further course of action.
While we wait for the response of other political parties, all that we would like to remind Shinde is the Greek proverb which says, "Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue; to the end we should hear and see more than we speak."
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