In his letter, “Selection on merit” (Herald, July 9), Kajal Chatterjee said, “Since India is a conglomeration of states, each state would naturally send proportional representation to the Parliament as MPs. But such provisions of proportional representation should not ideally get extended to the post of cabinet ministers, prime minister or president.” We must not forget that the President of India is very much a part of our Parliament. Article 79 of the Constitution of India says, “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.” Likewise, a Council of Ministers is just another part of the Parliament. Article 74 of our Constitution says, “There shall be a Council of Minister with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President…”
So, what is indispensable (proportional representation) to the whole (Parliament) must also be indispensable to its parts (the President, the Prime Minister and the Council of Minister).
Moreover, India is not just a conglomeration of States but also of Union Territories, languages, religions, castes and cultures. Therefore, proportional representation of Dalits, women, minorities as well as of all States and UTs is absolutely necessary in every legislative and administrative machinery from cabinet to bureaucracy to make our government truly federal in character, inclusive in nature and a perfect reflection of our unity in diversity. Indians from North-East to South, from Santhal to Bhangi, from Mr to Ms, from Tamil to Gujarati and from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to Lakshadweep must get a chance to make our government a perfect example of a democracy of the people and not just merely an aristocracy by the people.
It takes 24 spokes to make a wheel (Ashok Chakra) at the centre of our multi-colour national flag to represent India. It also requires the representations of all the people of our country in every machinery of our government to eliminate inequalities among groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations as has been directed by the Article 38(2) of the Constitution of India.
