India: Rushing Through The Bills And A Clueless Opposition!

While the opposition political parties of India have been clueless about what to stand for and how to stand for, the ruling political party with its huge majority or a brute majority have been getting used to rushing through the bills in Parliament of which the prime example had been the Three Farm Laws in 2020 pandemic times (had to be repealed last month due to sustained opposition by the farmers) along with other examples, especially after the party’s second landslide in 2019. ‘Rushing through’ essentially means getting the bills passed in a hurry with mostly voice votes rendering ‘debate’ a mere formality. Yesterday, Monday the 20^th of December 2021, the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill-2021 was passed by the Lok Sabha without any debate despite strong opposition to the move. Today, the Bill has also been passed by the Rajya Sabha amid an opposition walkout, and with the Presidential assent being only a formality this move to link the Aadhaar Card to the Voter ID is set to become a law.

 

Why oppose this inevitable move as it traces back to 2013 and only thanks to the verdicts of the Supreme Court of India in the past few years responding to pleas against the moves, the linking could be accomplished only partially till now? The Election Commission of India (ECI), a supposedly independent constitutional authority, has been asking for this reform since long time in a bid to eliminate bogus voting and duplication of voter cards. The Government justifies this move by standing with the ECI and adding to it that the said linking is still ‘voluntary’; that it proposes to be ‘gender neutral’ changing ‘wife’ to ‘spouse’ that will allow both husbands and wives in service vote from the same location; that the voters can register for voter cards four times in a year now instead of just once so far; and that not providing the Aadhaar Card does not necessarily mean that the applications will be rejected.

 

The opposition political parties and some other stakeholders are saying that this is a ‘dangerous’ move leading to deletion of the names of many voters the likes of which had been seen after the ECI decided upon the linking in 2015, enrolling more than 300 million citizens already; that the Government is set to resort to ‘target’ the voters having the profiles of the citizens thus stored in the ECI data base in view of the forthcoming assembly elections in five states; that the fraudsters can have a very good time thanks to possible exploitation of the same data base; and most importantly that the country still not having a Privacy and Data Protection Law in place this might lead to breaches and leaks of personal data. The last point carries a lot of weight, and ideally, the Government should’ve first ‘rushed through’ the Privacy and Data Protection Bill, and then could’ve made the elections reforms bill fool-proof.

 

However, leaks and breaches in the personal data bases have been taking place all over the globe from various sources quite frequently in these digital days—the banks to the social media—and fraudsters have been in the act of resorting to various ‘creative’ measures to cheat people. While as per the Supreme Court orders that submission of Aadhaar Cards cannot be demanded by private entities, the banks, public or private, and the telecom companies have been making the card mandatory for accounts, credit cards, SIM cards, address proof or for change of address and so on. Besides, the linking of the Aadhaar Card to the PAN card has been made mandatory for Income Tax purpose. Of course, the Supreme Court has given some relaxations to some of the above and more for the purpose of digital payment gateways; but the distinction between ‘voluntary’ and ‘mandatory’ disclosures of Aadhaar Card details through the biometrics often gets blurred. We would say there is actually nothing wrong in going for the Card by all the citizens of the country and thus release the outlets for a range of benefits and conveniences.  

 

Politics has always been the mainstay in a democracy like India, and the ‘brute majority’ enjoyed by the ruling party has been the real concern for the largely disjointed opposition political alliances. Now, all the opposition parties are alarmed about the possible benefits through this ‘linking’ law for the ruling party in the forthcoming assembly elections rather than the justifiability of the ‘linking’. As far as we the citizens are concerned both the ruling party and the opposition must focus on the real issues of concern rather than indulging in petty and electoral politics.

 

In the midst of repeated disruptions in the winter session of the Parliament over issues, prominently on a union minister and his on being involved in the Lakhimpur-Kheri incident in Uttar Pradesh where at least four farmers were mowed down by the son’s vehicle, another bill, the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill has been presented in Lok Sabha today, aiming at making the marriageable age uniform for both men and women, again leading to opposition protests. The proposed bill wants to raise the marriageable age for girls from 18 to 21 which makes it uniform with the boys. Some of the opposition political parties are protesting against the move saying that at the age of 18 one becomes an adult, eligible to vote also, and therefore, the girls attaining the age of 18 should have the right to decide about their future in choosing to get married if preferred. Such was the ruckus in the lower house that finally the bill had to be referred to a Parliamentary Panel for scrutiny, and with just two days left for the winter session it may not be possible for the ruling party to ‘rush through’ again.

 

However, this move must be supported for the simple reason of uniformity between males and females. To add more reason to our support, the boys become graduates at about the age of 21 and many of the girls getting or forced into marriage are thus deprived of higher education. The argument by many social activists that the practices of child marriage and child labor still persist in our society does not hold much water. The opposition against the bill is more of a reflection of the mindset of a patriarchal society than having any solid ground to object to the proposed move by the Government. A step in the right direction can always help better our society in future, and most importantly, no government can ever change the values of a society whatever way it tries. The feudalistic patriarchal domineering mindset still prevails in this country and this includes many political leaders too across various parties, not excepting the ruling party at all. No wonder, the crimes against women continue unabated and the bill for ensuring reservation for women in Parliament has been pending for years. 

The Year-Long Farmers’ Movement In India Ends!

In a huge relief for the whole of India, the Government and the farming community the year-long Farmers’ Movement has come to an end today after the Joint Farmers Front leaders announced in Delhi that the Government had accepted all their demands that prominently included the promulgation of a law guarantying Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for their crops and the withdrawal of all charges against the agitating farmers. The leaders described this as a historic victory against an arrogant government further saying that their peaceful movement was unprecedented in India as well as in the world. The farmers would start leaving the Delhi borders from the 11^th of this month, after the state funeral tomorrow of the CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat who died in a tragic chopper crash yesterday, with a victory march to their respective home states, they added. The leaders also said that the Joint Farmers Front which was formed with the constituents of all farm unions across the country to steer the movement would be kept active to monitor the steps taken by the government in the coming weeks and there will a review meeting on 15^th January 2022 for this purpose.

 

Most of the farmers of the country, the food-givers, fought for the repeal of the three Farm Laws and a guaranteed MSP, and after more than 11 rounds of talks with the Government of India the Prime Minister had to bow down to their demands announcing the repeal of the laws on November 19, 2021, with the ongoing winter session of the Parliament having already effected the same without any debate as the opposition political parties have been fighting too on behalf of the farmers for the same objective. The farmers spent days and nights on the grounds bordering the capital of Delhi for more than a year defying the challenges of all the four seasons and the pandemic. In the process they lost around 750 farmers languishing and perishing in the camps. There have been various protest demonstrations, road-rail blockades, protest and tractor marches throughout the year. The final historic victory proves that the food-givers of any country cannot be ignored for long and cannot be left unhappy and agitating—be it for the ‘roti’ or for the elections or for whatever.

 

We extend our hearty welcome for their decision and stand with them, as always, for the future. Now, the ball is in the Government’s court and it’d be interesting to watch what follows next. The Government knows fully well that they cannot go back on their promises and can never afford one more movement by the community upon whom the economy of the country depends to a large extent. The Government must take all the steps now to reduce and then eliminate fully the trust deficit that has been building up in the hearts of the farmers against the government thanks to various dubious actions taken by the latter during the period to derail the movement. It is good time now to go for the much-needed agricultural reforms in a positive and proactive frame of mind taking all stakeholders on board.

Politics: Telangana Update And More!

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy today morning resigned from his post, his elected membership of the Congress (MLA or Member of Legislative Assembly) and general party membership expressing anguish at the division of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and Seemandhra. Bandhs or closures have also been observed in various parts of the state and there are more protests scheduled for the days coming. Meanwhile the Telangana Bill could not be introduced in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, due to repeated disruptions, high drama and ugly scenes throughout the day. The Secretary General of the House got heckled by MPs most outrageously in the process. The last effort was made around 4 pm when the house resumed and four other bills were passed amid increasing din, but then the house had to be adjourned till Thursday tomorrow. The Bill is likely to be presented tomorrow with tight security in place and intense efforts will be made to get it passed.

Most unfortunately, the ‘parliamentary’ behavior displayed in public since last Thursday seems to have a profound impact throughout the country in terms of a definite fan following. In the Uttar Pradesh Assembly even the Governor’s address in the joint session was not spared by the opposition MLAs. There were noisy scenes of standing on benches, displaying placards, shouting of slogans and two MLAs even taking off their shirts for added impact. In Jammu and Kashmir Assembly there were scenes of slapping and persistent fisticuffs.

Politics at the moment threatens to engulf India with all its ugliness and vote-bank delirium. Even assassins and criminals seem to be counted upon as most valuable voters and efforts are being made to release them defying all legal norms. In a democracy citizens normally look forward to general elections, but this time they wish the nightmare gets over as soon as possible. However, what happens after that is equally hazardous to ponder about.

Politics Of Separation: The Pain, Pepper Powder, Knives And Telangana!

The Congress led UPA-2 approved the division of the Southern State of Andhra Pradesh into the long fought-after Telangana and the consequent Seemandhra after initiating the process over the last few months. As the draft Telangana Bill took shape in practically geographic terms the state Assembly of Congress-ruled Andhra Pradesh rejected the Bill. Supporters and opposition groups emerged within the same political party and the fight for-and-against shifted to the capital as the last session of the 15^thIndian Parliament began on 5^th of February, 2014. The Union Cabinet approved the final Telangana Draft Bill on 7^th February clearing the way for its presentation in Parliament. It had been Telangana all the way then leading to early adjournments of both the houses every day—only with grudging concessions given to present the interim Railway Budget and the Vote-on-Account General Budget 2014-15. On 12^th February the interim Railway Budget was presented in Lok Sabha, the lower house, with the Railway Minister only able to read out the first and last parts of the statement. But then, the all important Telangana Bill had to be presented to entertain some chance of passing it in this last session slated to end on 21^st February. 

Thursday, the 13^th of February, 2014. A black day for Indian Parliamentary Democracy. All norms of parliamentary behavior, decorum and rules were razed to dust in this what we call a wonderfully rule-breaking country. Following continuous disruption of Parliament over the days on the Telangana issue some Congress Members of Parliament (MP) were expelled from the party. On that fateful day all these MPs managed to enter and therefore fierce groups of supporters and opponents were created within. The supporting group escorted the Home Minister forming a protective ring around him for introducing the Bill. The Honorable minister did not carry any papers fearing that these would be snatched away by the opponents. As he verbally started introducing the Telangana Bill in Lok Sabha all hell broke loose.

The opposing MPs, apart from marching into the well of the house that they did every day, started snatching microphones or wires, tearing up papers and indulging in some fisticuffs with the protective members. Suddenly one prominent MP opposed to Telangana broke glasses on the tables and whipped out a canister from his pocket. Before anybody realized what was happening he began spraying pepper powder all around. All present including the ministers and the Speaker were soon seen in fits of uncontrollable coughing trying to run out of the house.

In the melee one MP was believed to have brandished a knife too. Security force personnel entered and took away the violent MPs. Many of the members got ill holding their throats and chests, and at least four of them were taken away to the nearest hospital in the ambulance which was kept ready outside in anticipation of trouble. However, no security arrangements or frisking of MPs were in place in advance. In fact, a fierce debate on the necessity of frisking VIP MPs broke out. Most unpleasantly enough, this black day hardly fails to remind one of the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. This attack is even murkier, because it has been perpetrated by ‘privileged’ members from within. More than 16 MPs were suspended from the rest of the session.

Soon after the Lok Sabha resumed one opposing MP got a heart attack while shouting his heart out and had to be admitted in ICU. Now the main opposition parties refused to acknowledge that the Bill was introduced as they opined it was not proper. Amidst the continuing din both houses got adjourned till Monday that is 17^th February when the Vote-on-Account was somewhat peacefully passed through. But then the all-important Telangana Bill had to introduced and passed.

The Telangana Bill was finally introduced in somewhat a proper manner on Tuesday, the 18^th of February, 2014. This time security arrangement was immaculate. Marshals were present in the doorways frisking all members and all the suspended members were not allowed to enter. The Home Minister introduced the Bill and a debate on that was attempted with frequent disruptions till 3 in the afternoon. As Lok Sabha resumed at 3 pm the live telecast of the proceedings were suspended--another unprecedented move in a democracy (Lok Sabha Television describes it as a technical snag and its CEO has ordered a probe), and a vote on the Bill was taken up. Finally, the Telangana Bill got passed in the lower house on a voice vote with the main opposition BJP deciding to support for apparent political reasons—similar reasons for which the ruling coalition wanted to ensure the separation.

Pain and anguish expressed by the opposing Congress and regional leaders of Andhra Pradesh. Calls for protests and closures for the days to come. And, there were mass celebrations in Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, and in Telangana region. Ecstatic expressions for achieving the dream of a separate state after long, fighting and painful years. The new state is to share Hyderabad as the common capital for ten years.

Today, on Wednesday the 19^th of February, the Telengana Bill is set to be introduced and passed in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. If it gets passed today it would become a law after getting the Presidential nod. Formation of separate states within India has been a complex and nagging issue over the decades. Now with the formation of Telangana more demands for many such proposed separate states are bound to get louder along with the politics associated with such separation. Expression of pain and ecstasy would continue too. How low or abysmal level would this process push democratic traditions to is the big question.

IPL Scandal: New Law To Check Match Fixing?

After showing no urgency in the emergency meet yesterday in Chennai the BCCI seemed to have passed the buck over to the affected IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR). Accordingly today the RR has distanced itself from the implicated players and is likely to file an FIR with the police against them. However, more promisingly, the BCCI has sent its officials to Delhi to meet Delhi Police in a supposed effort to get more information on the IPL Spot Fixing case. Yesterday, the BCCI President N Srinivasan had denied having enough information from the police. Meanwhile, Delhi police has arrested a former Ranji cricketer in the domestic circuit and two more bookies. At the moment the CCTV footage seems to hold the key for producing conclusive evidence in the courts.

The Government of India, apparently shaken by this huge scam, is mulling to formulate a separate law to deal with match and spot fixing cases sternly. Indian Law Minister Kapil Sibal met the Sports Minister last night and discussed about the issue. Kapil Sibal said that the Indian Penal Code (IPC) does not recognize match or spot fixing as offenses and can deal with them only under Section 420 of the IPC that refers to cheating or frauds. Since this cannot deal with match fixing effectively a separate law is the urgent need of the hour and a new Bill to check match fixing is likely to be presented in the next session of the Indian Parliament, the Law Minister added. Sibal also said that such scams harm public faith in sports and any kind of fixing must be prevented in all disciplines of sports. The Sports Ministry also confirmed that efforts were still on to bring the BCCI under the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

Police custody for the three cheats ends tomorrow and there are reports that the Kingpin of fixing, Sreesanth, is set to move for bail. There are also reports that all three cheats have confessed to their crimes and with conclusive evidence forthcoming Delhi Police could appeal for extended custody and denial of bail. Everything must be ensured so that the complete IPL scandal comes to public light and the criminals severely punished. This is a decisive moment to cleanse cricket once for all.

Crimes Against Women: Death For Rapist-Murderer Now Official!

After a lot of differences and brainstorming over the past four days finally the Union Cabinet approved the Anti-Rape Bill last evening in New Delhi. The Government of India thus wants to replace the Criminal Offenses (Amendment) Ordinance promulgated in February 2013 with the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013. Now the challenge before the government would be to make the Bill into a Law by getting it passed in the Indian Parliament by 22^nd March 2013, because Parliament goes into a recess for a month then and by the time it resumes the session the Ordinance would lapse, that is, on April 4. Before that the government will have to overcome the opposition storm in an all-party meet on Monday.

The approved Bill recommends death penalty for rapist-murderers and also in cases where the rapist leaves the victim in a persistent vegetative state. The Bill also revises the earlier proposal of life imprisonment to rapists and mandates that the rapist will now have to spend the ‘rest of his natural life’ in jail.  Acid attacks, stalking, voyeurism and inappropriate touch or gestures or remarks will all become criminal offenses. While acid attacks would attract punishment of not less than 10 years imprisonment sustained stalking and repeated offenses of voyeurism or inappropriate touch or gestures or remarks would be made non-bailable.

The Ordinance replaced ‘rape’ with ‘sexual assault’, but thanks to protesting women activist groups the Bill dropped this proposal thus retaining ‘rape’ and making it gender specific crime instead of the proposed gender neutrality. Crime against women is the all-pervasive social malady and this is most gender specific and most gender sensitive where the perpetrator is always the male and the victim is always woman. Therefore this step of the Bill is very welcome. Of course, child abuse in another big concern that is gender neutral, but this problem has to be addressed separately.

One of the very positive and most needed provisions in the Bill is to make it mandatory to all government and private hospitals to provide free medical care to all women victims of any form of sexual attacks. The hospitals would not have to wait for police verification and their refusal to give free treatment would be a criminal offense too attracting at least one year imprisonment. This step could be termed revolutionary considering the practical difficulties experienced in such cases in India.

The most debated provision of the Bill is that of reducing the age for consensual sex from 18 to 16, the basic objective being to avoid calling all teen sex under 18 as ‘statutory rape’ and maybe also to take into account the changing times. But this provision is set to attract vehement opposition as several political parties, mostly in the feudal north, have already voiced their concern and objections. The Bill also promises to consider reducing the age for juvenile criminals from 18 to 16 which would be most welcome and timely. However the Bill prefers to be silent on the issues of marital rape. 

For a country dominated by males over the centuries what is happening is really unique, and all the credit goes to the Young India Movement for Change that shook India after the horrific Delhi Gangrape. It is now up to the political will of the country for making history in the Indian Parliament.

Hyderabad Twin Blasts: The Terror Comes Back!

Just when the politics of terror seemed to have subsided allowing the Budget Session of the Indian Parliament that started on February 21 2012 with the President of India addressing the joint session maybe to work a little better than usual,  the terror struck back in full ferocity, venom and revenge. Two massive blasts ripped apart a prime market locality of Hyderabad, a major city of Southern India, around 7 pm yesterday. The victims caught unawares could hardly recover from shock and trauma of the first blast when another high-intensity bomb went off just 100 meters away. Fortunately a third bomb discovered in the same locality was defused in time. In a kind of a vicious circle of terror the city of Hyderabad got hit in 2002, 2007 and now 2013.

The real face of the terror got exposed one more time. It did not discriminate while ripping apart the innocent victims—killing 14 and maiming over 120 so far. The Home Minister of India, Sushil Kumar Shinde, whose comment was utilized by various forces to communalize terror recently got into the action mode immediately briefing media and visiting the affected area this morning. The Prime Minister condemned the cowardly act and announced compensation packages for the dead and injured.

It was easy for the media and all opposition political parties to blame the government because there were intelligence inputs about possible strikes, particularly after two key terrorists had been hanged over the last three months. But what government as there were many governments in the union of India hopelessly divided on jurisdiction of power and political affiliations? Who knows at what level of ‘divisions’ the alerts were either ignored or not acted upon properly? Yes, Indians are soft targets for terror attacks over the decades, but this is basically due more to a divided India rather than to intelligence failures or lack of competent action. India have been divided always on vote bank lines; on religion or ethnic or culture or language or caste links; on rich-poor discrimination; on bureaucratic class hierarchy; on military or police rank/position systems; on man-woman matters and on what not.

On the second day of the Budget Session today, all the members of the Indian Parliament stood up to observe two-minute silence in memory of the Hyderabad Bomb Blast victims and they looked to be really united. But, the moment the two minutes ended the opposition members raised a din demanding answers for the tragedy leading to an adjournment of both the houses despite the immensity of the tragedy and despite the fact that the Home Minister was scheduled to make a statement on the floor at 2 pm today.

It was in July 2011 when the terror last struck Mumbai and it was September the same year when it struck the national capital Delhi. Routine measures like declaring High Alerts do follow after every attack. But basically a divided India is making it easy for the terror to come back again and again, and strike at will.

Get united completely and cohesively, and eliminate terror. Stay divided, and get destroyed by terror. The choice is ours.

Politics: Right-Left Combine To Throttle Center And Merciless Mamata!

The Indian political forces that are only focused upon cornering and if possible ousting the ruling coalition from power have got another democracy-send opportunity to revel in what they are best at. What is the current economic status of the country, what are required for pushing up growth, what the citizens of the country want---are factors farthest removed from their agenda at the moment. They are hardly against corruption, because they cover it up within their house while attacking others. They can hardly be called opposition political parties, because their politics is rudderless at the moment. With the winter session of the Indian Parliament starting from today their ‘parliamentary’ behavior is rampantly visible as both houses get adjourned for the day.

They had been preparing for the most wanted ‘democratic’ moment to garner their forces against the Government’s reform push in terms of allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Retail and diesel price hike. The modern-day ‘economists’ know more than anybody that retail FDI is very bad for the country and fuel prices must be kept at the same level or even lowered so that the ‘common’ man continues voting for them. On this issue the inimitable Mamata Bannerji, Chief Minister of West Bengal, took her party out of the ruling coalition and was waiting for this ‘democratic’ moment to wreak vengeance for the alleged colossal neglect shown to her by the Government.

Mamata wanted to bring in a no-confidence motion right at the start of the session. She had been trying very hard for this end for the past few days. She appealed to the Left parties of her state whom she overthrew last year to come to power and who she had been crying murder and conspiracy against all the time to join her to prop up the required number to qualify for bringing in the motion in Parliament. For this she also approached the BJP whom she did not take into confidence earlier while deciding about her presidential nominee, because at that time she was an opposing ally of the Government of India. Such was her anti-country…sorry.. anti-Government of Indiaobsession! As expected, she found no takers for her no-confidence motion and had a flop show in the Parliament today as her motion was rejected failing to get the requisite number of supporters. She slammed the ‘right’ and the ‘left’ right and left in righteous frustration. The moot point that comes to our gullible minds—is she an ally or opposition or anti-opposition or anti-right or anti-left or just Merciless? Sigh!

Meanwhile the ‘right’ (read BJP) and the ‘left’ (read Marxist-Leninist political parties) have decided to force out an unholy alliance to oppose the reforms by demanding a discussion on the floor of the lower house on retail FDI and fuel price hike followed by voting.  Other political entities of Parliament irrespective of being right, left or wrong have been busy trying how and where exactly to place the center. All these manipulations essentially aimed at ousting the Government and making way for fresh elections have raised enough steam to stall the Indian Parliament right from the start today. After all, the important issue is the numbers, and not the country.

The mega political mess-up is hardly giving us, the gullible bystanders or voters if you may say so, any chance to decide who is right or left or center or wrong, who is against whom, who is less corrupt or more corrupt, who is the alternative if the present one is not positive, with whom to side with and basically how to define parliamentary or unparliamentary behavior—the distinction between the two getting fuggy, muggy and groggy all the time.

The myriad anti-corruption saviors, multiplying by the minute, are expected to join in the mess again anytime with more gunpowder. Hark, behold and, do not decide!

The Other Side of Midnight!

Article first published as The Other Side of Midnight on Technorati.

War cries suddenly pierced the still and freezing midnight hour of December 29, 2011 in New Delhi—capital of India. The elected representatives of the upper house of Indian Parliament came out of the house shouting ‘Murder of democracy’ or ‘A black day’ or ‘The biggest fraud of the government’. Why? Not because the anti-corruption Bill could not get passed even after nearly 13 hours of debate, but because the Bill was not allowed to be defeated.

Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament, passed the Lokpal Bill (anti-corruption Ombudsmen Bill) just before 11 in the night of December 27 after nearly 12 hours of debate. The coalition government had a working majority in the house and with a few gives and takes in terms of amendments suggested by opposition parties the Bill could be passed finally. But it had to be passed in Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament, too to become law.

The scenario was very clear. Everybody knew the coalition government was a minority in terms of numbers in the upper house. Relishing this fact the opposition political parties who supported the same Bill in the lower house decided to tear into it just to gear up for the most excite prospect of a number game. The parties were also gifted a day in-between, because the formalities could not be completed and so the Bill could not be presented on December 28 as planned. One or two allies of the coalition government too could not fend off the temptation of indulging themselves in the number game.

As the debate progressed as many as 187 amendments were submitted by the opposition parties. There was so much enthusiasm that they cited one clause and suggested amendment to another in a few illustrative cases. They also announced their willingness to sit out the full night to finish off with the Bill. The winter session was extended by three days for this debate and so technically the session was valid till 12 midnight of December 29 and not beyond that.

To its consternation, the coalition government realized that with its minority status it could hardly prevent the 187 amendments from getting passed and in that eventuality the final shape of the Bill would not be the one already passed in the lower house. So the government finally took resort to the technicality factor of the session not being possible to be extended beyond the zero hour and the house was adjourned sine die. Crying murder the disappointed opposition parties condemned the government that ‘ran away from the debate’ and demanded its resignation.

Team Anna had been demanding a strong Bill all the while and it was not at all clear at midnight that the 187 amendments would indeed ensure that. In a country where corruption has taken deep roots the ‘strong’ or ‘weak’ forms of the Bill will entirely depend on how ‘strong’ or ‘weak’ the vested interest groups are. It is no secret that every political party in India serves and protects at least one vested interest group.

The government had reiterated that the debate was not over and it would be taken up again in the budget session in about two months paving way for the passing of an effective and strong Lokpal Bill. At the moment this particular result seemed to have benefited all except, of course, the eagerly waiting right-minded citizens of India. The government has got more time to think about it; the opposition has got more time to ponder and to take the issue for forthcoming assembly elections campaign and Team Anna has got another boost to start the movement anew.

As far as India is concerned it’s the numbers that always count and matter.

Retail Politics!

Article first published as Retail Politics! on Technorati.

 The Indian parliament began its winter session on November 22, 2011 and so far it could not function even for one day. That is say the supreme constitutional body was not allowed to function by the opposition political parties.

First was the issue of the continuous price rise despite the fact the inflation rate had been showing a declining trend for the last three weeks. Then there were issues of bringing back the black money deposited in foreign banks and other regional tangles.

The first week was guillotined on these issues. Before the second week started the Indian Government announced a 51% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) package thus opening up the very attractive multi-brand Indian retail market for international players like Wal-Mart and others. The opposition parties including coalition allies of the government got another sought-after excuse to go on disrupting the Parliament.

The opposition political parties always brand themselves as the eternal service providers of the masses or the common people and in everything they do they do mention this underlying justification.
Problem is they never want to engage in a fruitful debate. It is very clear that they know little of economics and less FDI related angles. They are ably supported by the equally ignorant masses on such issues. Learned opposition is blissfully absent in this country.

While announcing the FDI initiative the government described how this was going to help the small consumers and farmers; how this was going to create more employment opportunities; and that the interest of the local small retailers was also being taken into proper consideration.
Of course, there could be defects in the policy that might hurt the country’s interest badly. For this a healthy debate is necessary and definitely not the politics.

The so-called mass leaders are only focused on getting more and more votes to finally defeat the ruling party in the next general elections. Knowing fully well that crucial Bills have to be passed in the current session they still block the way. They support Team Anna on its fight against corruption, but do nothing to help Parliament pass it its Bill. Their political strategy is clear—block all the Bills including the anti-corruption one from being passed, extend support to Team Anna’s next agitation since the Bill will not be passed and target the government continuously cornering it from all possible sides.
The political leaders take on the ‘retail’ naturally because they always seem to miss the ‘whole’.

The Prime Minister of India chairs an all party meeting today to find a way out of the logjam. The opposition parties are adamant on total roll back.