Look relationally!

I watched the proceedings of the Loka Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the two houses of the Parliament of India, during the in between times to get a flavour of the discussion. 

What surprised me beyond imagination, was the angry faces of many of them, when they were speaking! It was difficult to stay looking at their angry faces. It was obvious in the faces of the members belonging to the ruling party and opposition parties. I looked for faces that communicated relational engagement. They were just a few out of about forty speakers whom I observed. 

 

The language was aggressive and accusatory!

I wondered whether they forget that they are elected representatives of people of India, to feel, think and express the concerns of people from the grass root level and bring an atmosphere of consultative process for the common good. They speak against each other and try to outsmart the other person in the opposite side. 

I longed to hear a word of appreciation of some good the government did or an effort on the part of the members from the ruling side to show openness to hear out the members of the parliament from the opposition parties. 

Let me post the pictures of these three birds above, whom I watched in our garden during this week! This is to let the members of the Parliament to receive the relational look of these birds and develop an openness to give and receive. I found in the look of these birds composure, expectancy and openness!

We are first of all humans, then politicians; we are fellow travellers then people of different ideologies; we are co-servants, then of the ruling party and opposition party!

I wish young aspirants who look forward to put on the attire of becoming politicians, would see in our parliamentarians a language of conversation that upbuilds and communicates. There is something good in each person. I wish that would be explored and spoken about. There might be thoughts or actions which need correction, revision or better focus, which when presented in a thoughtful way, the benefits of that would reach the people whom they represent. Now an idea from an opposition party is seen with suspicion; an action from the ruling party is seen with disdain!

We are going no where with this. Mr Shekhar Gupta in a comment said in his TV show, that India would become the third largest economy before 2028 with the current momentum of economic growth. But he was cautious about the growth of per capital income! We live in a country of several possibilities,  prospects and needs. 

But if we fail to see each other relationally, it is greatest of all our losses!

I would long to see and hear the members of the parliament speak and respond courteously, appreciatively and collaboratively. 

Even when the differing ideologies pull the parties apart, the common interface of tolerance and acceptance is larger than what is practiced now. I feel awful that there were no lighter moments of humour or laughter! There were plenty of sarcasm and intention to hurt!

I felt disappointed that a leader who spoke of 'love as the language' of communication could not express that love during his talk, although he started his talk by saying: 'let me speak from my heart to your hearts'!

The three birds in their look communicate relational attitude!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)