1246 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
“A member while speaking shall not—,
- (vi) use the President’s name for the purpose of influencing the debate;”
Sardar B. S. Man : In fact, it is the Government that is using the name of the President. When I criticise certain actions of the President, the odium attached to them may be of the government or the advisers of the President. It is up to the people to pass it on to wherever it belong. But when the orders issued are of the President, criticism ought to be in the name of the President. Because, at present in the Punjab we are being governed by the President, am I to forego the right of criticism ? It may close the door for all future time to come. That is my point.
Mr. Chairman : My own personal feeling is that if Hon. Members are not prevented from criticising, as they are doing it in the House, they may direct their criticism to the government who are giving bad advice—if it is bad advice in their opinion. If the Government is at the bottom of the President’s action, if in their opinion it is not the President who is acting but it is the government which is tendering bad advice, it is aboslutely open to the Members to criticise the Government on their actions without bringing the name of the President.
Dr. Deshmukh : Can we also say that we are not criticising the President and that we are criticising the Government ?
Mr. Chairman : Therefore, where is the difficulty? When the Members are free to criticise the actions of the Government and there is absolutley no bar to their expressing their views frankly and openly, they need not feel or suffer from the trouble that they are not able to bring in the name of the President directly.
Sardar B. S. Man : We are not bringing the name of the President but the actions of the President, as they are the actions of the Government. It is for you to presume just as it is for me to criticise.
Mr. Chairman : I think I have made the point quite clear. If it is in their mind that it is the Government that is at the bottom of the President’s action and that is not advising properly, if the Government is the subject matter of the attack, they are absolutely free to attack the Government. Nothing bars them.
Sardar Hukam Singh : I am sorry that my appeal has been lost in this discussion that took place over the question whether we can