The Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Ramesh Tawadkar on Monday slammed the politics of defections in the State and took veiled potshots at his own party saying “Those accepting the defectors need to understand the limitations of politics”. This statement comes barely a fortnight after he dismissed a disqualification petition against the eight Congress MLAs who jumped ship to join the BJP on September 14, 2022. While maintaining that petitioners are free to challenge his verdict in the Court, he held that the verdict was based on facts and as per law.
In his November 1 ruling, the Speaker, while maintaining that disqualification on the ground of defection does not apply in case of a merger, held that “Upon the merger of the original political party of the elected member with another political party, the elected member will not face disqualification in either contingency i.e whether he chooses to go with the merger or disagrees with the same”.
It is baffling to understand how Tawadkar on the one hand gives a clean chit to the eight MLAs based on his interpretation of law and later openly criticises defections. Being from the same party, and a senior legislator, the move had the blessings of the Speaker. We believe that there was a complete understanding of the limitations and compulsions that came with defections. Goa is not new to party-hopping, defections have been happening all the time. In fact, the State has gained notoriety for it and set templates for other States to follow.
Nonetheless, Tawadkar’s comments stir up the crucial debate on the integrity, accountability, and ethical boundaries of political manoeuvring. His criticism throws light on the paradox inherent in contemporary political practices, which are characterised by sheer disregard for the mandate. The Speaker has voiced his disappointment, but he has also highlighted that defection is fast eroding public trust in the political system.
Political leaders have been capitalising on the ambiguity in the interpretation of the anti-defection law despite being aware that the narrative does not align with the aspirations of the electorate or the ideologies at play. It is a sad irony that leaders are failing to recognise that their responsibilities extend beyond political survival and that it’s their prime responsibility to uphold the trust bestowed upon them. But, that's the way it has panned out in Goa.
The question is: Can Tawadkar’s remarks serve as a call to action? While the opinion may be ethically and politically correct, the timing is not. His comment loses credibility because it has come at a time when he is seething with anger for being politically isolated at the rally at Farmagudi held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the community's umbrella organisation -- United Tribal Associations Alliance (UTAA). The timing of Tawadkar’s outburst brings down the credibility of his argument against defections because his "despondency" is connected to something else.
Tawadkar’s dual stance — clearing the defectors and later criticizing the trend — provides a nuanced perspective on the challenges faced by democracy today. While legal frameworks may be bent, ethics cannot be compromised. Tawadkar knows his expression will not prompt legislators to embrace the ethos and align their actions with the expectations of the people they serve. But, he knows he has passed on a message he wanted to.
