Lack of understanding of India’s history: Moily slams BJP for tabling ONOE Bill in LS

Karnataka, Dec 17 (IANS) Congress leader and former Law Minister, M. Veerappa Moily on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central government for its push to introduce the ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill (ONOE Bill) in the Lok Sabha, claiming that the current administration has little understanding of the nation’s historical context.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitution Amendment Bill or ONOE Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Talking to IANS, Moily said, “This government seems to have a complete lack of understanding of our country’s history. They are trying to create the impression that ONOE Bill is a new concept, something revolutionary. But this is far from the truth. From 1952 until 1967, simultaneous elections for both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were held. The Congress and other political parties did not oppose this at the time. However, it was done due to historical reasons, not because of any specific political ideology.”

Moily explained that elections in India are often influenced by unforeseen circumstances, such as Assemblies or even the Parliament being dissolved prematurely.

“Assemblies sometimes dissolve before their term ends, or Parliament elections are held ahead of schedule. These historical events have shaped how our elections have been conducted. The present government seems eager to exploit these incidents for political gain,” he continued.

The former Law Minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using the ONOE Bill to advance his own political interests.

“Prime Minister Modi seems to believe that by reducing the frequency of elections, he will save money and prevent the ‘multiplicity of elections.’ But this is not a new idea; it’s merely a historical reality. To suggest that late PM Jawaharlal Nehru wanted elections split for the advantage of his party is wrong. Everything that was done was for national interest, not political advantage,” Moily remarked.

He added that PM Modi’s push for this idea is not about national welfare, but about enhancing his own image.

“If Modi thinks that having just one election will help perpetuate his image, it’s a mere daydream. A move like this won’t bolster Modi’s ego, as he may believe. The idea should have been discussed with the Opposition parties because elections are not just for the ruling party; they are for the entire nation. This is the real issue,” Moily said.

Furthermore, Moily criticised the speed at which the Union government is trying to push through this proposal, stating that the central government lacks the majority needed to pass the Bill in both Houses of Parliament.

“You can’t rush this through. There’s no absolute majority in the Houses for this Bill. The right thing to do is open this up for a national debate. A good Bill can only come from proper discussions, and it requires consensus on various issues, not just one. The country needs time to reflect on this important change,” he said.

Moily cautioned that hurrying the proposal could lead to more confusion rather than solving existing problems.

“There are so many issues involved in this that rushing it will only muddle things further. It will create more confusion than it resolves,” he warned.

The senior Congress leader also responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement during discussions, where he suggested that Prime Minister Modi is open to referring the ONOE Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for a thorough evaluation.

Moily dismissed this, stating that the Congress party was not being ‘negative’ but simply positive about discussing the matter in the right way.

“We are not negative, but we are realistic. The Congress has never been negative about simultaneous elections. From 1952 to 1967, simultaneous elections were held without any issues. It’s not like Modi or Amit Shah are introducing some new word. They seem blindfolded; they don’t know the past or the future. They are only focussed on the present, and they want to exploit the situation for their benefit,” Moily said.

He also expressed concern over the practical implications of the proposal, highlighting that there are numerous practical problems that need to be addressed before such a major change is implemented.

“This isn’t just a theoretical debate. There are hundreds of practical problems that need to be considered. This issue must not only be discussed on the floor of Parliament; it must be discussed publicly, so that all voices can be heard. The government should throw it open for a proper public debate, so that a consensus can emerge,” Moily concluded.

Moily further underscored that any political or administrative reform must take into account the diverse perspectives and needs of the entire nation, not just the ruling party’s interests. He called for a more comprehensive and inclusive dialogue on such an important issue, urging that the government show respect for India’s democratic processes by ensuring that the proposal is thoroughly debated and evaluated in a transparent, national discussion.

–IANS

jk/rad