The three bills replacing British-era criminal laws have received the President's assent, thus turning them into laws. The moot point here is - does the President have any say in the matter at all? Draupadi Murmu must be well aware of how the just-concluded Parliamentary session was used by the ruling party to bulldoze these bills through sans any discussion or debate.
Aided and abetted by partisan speakers in both houses, 142 MPs were suspended by the government which brooks no opposition to facilitate the passage of legislation unhindered. The mass suspensions were pre-planned and weaponised by the saffron dispensation to undermine the democratic process; the Parliament has been reduced to just another office of the BJP and the President a rubber stamp.
During the days of Pranab Mukherjee as the President, quite a few bills were returned to the executive for reconsideration, amendment and further deliberations. In those times, the government was held accountable to the people proactively by the person occupying the highest office in the land.
Alas, today it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is the judge, jury and executioner; everyone must be subservient and beholden to him and carry out his wishes, no questions asked. The post of the President has been totally undermined and nearly redundant. Maybe it should be abolished altogether to save taxpayers' money.
