India Gets Second Woman President
In order to understand the role and functions of the President of India in view of assumption of 15th incumbent to the August office recently, it may be desirable to understand the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the country in respect of post ,functions, powers and limitations thereof, of the President .
The President of India is the first citizen and head of the Indian Union.He/ she is also the nominal head of the executive and the legislature and titular head of the country. Actual administrative authority, however, is with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues but the administration of the country is carried on in the name of the President.
President is indirectly elected by an Electoral College comprising of only elected M.P’s and M.L.A.’s. As per the Constitution, President is also the supreme commander of three services: Army, Navy and Air Force.Though powers of the state Governments can be transferred to the President in an Emergency situation or in the event of constitutional breakdown in any State of the Union.
The President has to act on the advice and recommendation of the Prime Minister in pursuance of the spirit of Parliamentary form of Government of the country. Though the President has the right to be consulted alongwith rights to encourage and to warn , yet in real practice this normally does not happen.
The Prime Minister, however, has to keep the President posted with all the decisions of the Cabinet from time to time. Subsequent to the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution ,ministerial advice is binding on the President but no such provision has been made in respect of the Governor of a State.
After attaining sixty four years of age, the youngest President of India has assumed office as per provisions in the Article 52 of the Constitution of the country. In Smt. Droupadi Murmu, the young democracy not only has a woman from Santhal tribe from Mayurbhanj District of Odisha occupying the top most constitutional post in the country, but also a grassroot leader, who remained undettered upon facing several tragedies , yet she rose to the important offices of the Legislator, Minister and Governor.
Mere fact that ,while performing her duties, she kept on doing service for educational growth and advancement of ‘have nots’ , that has to sound remarkable.
Belonging to one of the most backward regions of the vast country ,she has become the fourth representative from East India ,after Dr.Rajendra Prasad, Sri Fakruddin Ali Ahmed and Sri Pranab Mukherjee. In choosing Mrs Droupadi Murmu and Sri J.Dhankhar, to be candidates for two highest posts of the President and Vice President of the union, traditional preference for a North or South Indian has been set aside for the time being.
8.5 percent tribals in the country may not count much for the ruling party as it already has 31 out of 47 S.T. Members of Parliament .But it appears, a message was to be given to others after assuaging the feelings of the Scheduled Castes ,subsequent to the choice of Sri Ram Nath Kovind as the immediate former President. Only time ,however , will tell whether the change of guard in Rastrapati Bhawan, will mean a new phase for our Socialist and Secular Republic.
Mrs Murmu’s statement that her attaining the August office of the President was not a personal achievement , rather, same was achievement of every poor person, was very touching as also inspiring to those who get hassled and anxious on seeing state of affairs, atleast in some of the mainline states. No doubt, Honourable President, poor can have dreams but accomplishing those is not everyone’s cup of tea ,despite so many constitutional safeguards. Apart from personal efforts, you need a push which Mrs. Murmu appears to have got. Even after facing three tragic deaths of her close family members, she did not surrender, that may deserve appreciation from all positive minded persons.
By adding the important element of ” Kartavya”( Duty) to the Prime Minister’s popular slogan” Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas Aur Sabka Viswas”, she wishes to call upon fellow countrymen not ONLY to look for rights, subsidies and facilities . But they have to perform their duty also with an equal sense of responsibility. Also her earlier decision as the then Governor of Jharkhand to turn down two crucial Bills of BJP led erstwhile Government in the state may give a clear message that she may not act as a Rubber stamp President nor she is expected to sign on the dotted lines at a time when the secular image and character of the Republic is getting threats from those making attempts to divide the society according to religious considerations.
If some of the Judges were not sensitive to such evil designs ,emerging biases and prejudices leading to regular disturbances were bound to threaten our unity and diversity. That too at a time when Pakistan and China are making concerted efforts to ‘encircle’ India, including by giving unconditional support to successive military regimes in Myanmar, one of our immediate ‘land neighbours’. While India has reiterated faith in leadership of a woman for the second time, in Myanmar more than two decade old effort of 73 year old woman A.S. Aung Suu Kyi to rule over the country by democratic means gets a setback every now and then due to pre dominance of Military in her country.
In Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, second time woman P.M.of the country continues to fire shots at fundamentalist elements in the country.
Although Nepal also has a titular Woman President in Bidhya Devi Bhandari ,China’s inherent interest in encouraging threats to young democracy in Nepal are well known.
Further, China ‘s possible hint at coming to the aid of shaken and paralyzed Sri Lankan Government in overcoming their economic crisis, should be also seen by keeping our fingers crossed. But in Sri Lanka, though there is no woman leader of repute at national level at present, the public revolt against the former President Gotabaya Rajpakse was dominated by the housewives and young working women.
China’s silence over disturbances in Ukraine but more than active concern in renewal of US interest in Taiwan affairs is bound to pose fresh threats to peace and stability in the South China sea region.Again in Taiwan ,in Tsai Ing-wen ,there is a woman President since 2016 and the Speaker of US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, who dared to visit Taiwan a few days ago without bothering for stiff opposition from China, happens to be a Woman.
So ,fresh assertion by women to hold topmost positions in many countries is a welcome wind of change. It is bound to make a difference sooner or later.
Aaloc Srivastav,
Ex-CS of Sikkim,IAS(R)
Noida ,India