There is a dangerous illusion in power. That if you have the numbers, you have the nation. That if a bill is passed, the argument is over. That once the Speaker says “ayes have it,” dissent has magically disappeared. It hasn’t. It has only changed location.
When Parliament passes laws without convincing those who disagree, the disagreement does not die. It migrates. It leaves the House and appears on the streets. It shows up as strikes, protests, shutdowns and occasionally riots. What was not spoken out inside Parliament is shouted outside it.
India has seen this often enough. Laws passed in haste, amid din, slogans and walkouts, may clear legislative hurdles but they fail the democratic test of persuasion. The ruling party bulldozes through, congratulates itself and moves on. The opposition fumes. The people remain unconvinced. Democracy keeps the receipt and sends the bill later.
Convincing takes time. Bulldozing takes numbers. The problem is that numbers win votes, but persuasion wins peace. When people feel unheard, they do not feel governed. They feel managed. And no society likes to be managed without being consulted.
Parliament was meant to be the pressure valve of the nation. A place where disagreements are aired so that the country does not explode later. When debate is cut short and objections are mocked, that valve is shut tight. Pressure builds quietly. Then suddenly everyone is surprised when farmers block highways, workers strike or students fill the streets. They should not be surprised. The warning signs were there. They were just ignored.
The habit of bulldozing also teaches a bad lesson. It tells citizens that force works better than reason. That volume matters more than validity. That listening is optional. Once this lesson travels beyond Parliament, it becomes a national problem. People stop arguing and start agitating.
A confident government convinces before it legislates. It explains why a law is needed. It listens to fears. It modifies clauses. It shows respect even to those who will never agree. That process does not weaken authority. It strengthens legitimacy.
Opposition parties too must remember their role. Disruption may draw attention, but sustained argument builds credibility. Democracy fails when one side bulldozes and the other side only blocks.
India does not need fewer laws. It needs better conversations before laws are made. Passing a bill without convincing is not governance. It is postponement. The disagreement will return, louder and angrier.
If our leaders do not learn to convince in Parliament, they will be forced to confront dissent on the streets. Bulldozers may clear roads, but they cannot clear minds…!