Respect the Rajya Sabha nomination
The debate over the poor attendance of nominated members Sachin Tendulkar and Rekha in the Rajya Sabha has swung from the apologetic to rabid. While supporters of the cricketing icon have been forwarding a series of arguments to explain away the fact that he attended the Upper House for just three days in 2013, equally committed fans of one-time film heart-throb have been busy justifying her absence. In both instances, a case is being made out that since the two celebrities are not ‘full-time politicians' and are, at the end of the day, ‘nominated' members, it would be unfair to demand 100 per cent attendance from them. They have, it is pointed out, many other varied commitments to take care of. Moreover, it is added, since not many full-time politicians have an attendance record to boast of, it is grossly unfair and petty to target the two celebrities. These are shallow attempts to shield the two celebrities from the increasing media and public criticism. Both Tendulkar and Rekha are nominated members, but that does not mean they should not find time for Parliament. After all, a nomination the Upper House is a huge recognition, and it must be given the respect it deserves. While they are not expected to connect with the masses in the way that grassroots politicians do with their constituents, the nominated members can make people's lives better by sharing the experiences they have gathered in the course of their careers and persuading other lawmakers to learn from those experiences. If Rekha can highlight issues facing the entertainment industry, Tendulkar can contribute to the creation of a robust national sports policy. As for the argument that these celebrities also have to balance their other commitments, nobody is asking them to ignore those obligations. All they have to do is to make time for Parliament sessions —the schedule of which is intimated to them well in advance. Surely, it should not be difficult for the two to manage just one more of their multiple duties. It must not be forgotten that Rekha and Tendulkar had happily accepted the nomination — and they must have known the responsibility which comes with the acceptance. Now that critical media glare is on them, it is to be hoped that they will abandon their earlier ways and behave like responsible Members of Parliament.
There are critical voices which say that film and sports celebrities should not be nominated to the House because they will treat it as yet another of the many honours they have gathered in the course of their career — when they should consider it as a national responsibility. It would be unfair to paint all celebrities with the same brush. The House has seen interventions by nominated members that have contributed significantly to the shaping of key legislations in recent years. Although they have been few and far between, they do demonstrate the effective role a nominated member can play.