Opposition’s fake anxiety, RS disruption is nation’s loss

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Countries like Greece, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Denmark have adopted the unicameralism setup in their legislative domains, a practice where only one house/ chamber takes decisions pertaining to lawmaking. In India, the concept of bicameralism subsists, as enshrined in the constitution. At first instance, this appears essential so as not to let the lower house of the parliament take hasty and unapprised decisions, and also the vast and heterogeneous demography calls for wide representation of people in the process of lawmaking. But does this allow the upper house to undertake cunning and imprudent political advantage over the ruling party in the lower house? Makers of Indian constitution considered the British political and legislative setup at the back of their minds while framing this supreme piece of law. But even in the British setup now, the legislations promulgated by the lower house twice in one year are binding on the upper house. Rajya Sabha was always to be a house of shrewd and veteran politicians who can serve the role of a guide; however in the present state of affairs they are not only subsiding their basic duties, but are also suppressing public’s mandate to the party chosen in the Lok Sabha. BJP won 282 seats in the 2014 general elections with 31 per cent vote share, and it is their obligation as well as right to take shrewd decisions and implement them without hassles.

The functioning of both the houses of parliament in the Budget session so far has come with some pluses and many minuses. While the lower house delivered productivity of about 123 per cent owing to extra sitting by our legislators, the upper house could not match this optimum pace and restored to sheer politics, aggression and intrusions. On one hand, PM Narendra Modi cautioned absent MPs, on the other, Rajya Sabha’s mighty parties exhibited lack of professional maturity and infringed the mandate of public that backs their strength in the house. It is promising to note that TMC, SP, BJD and others extended much-needed support to the central government with respect to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill; passing of the Bills by both houses will open new venues of commerce and employment. In the wake of such competence from the upper house, dominated by Congress and regional political parties, row over the Land Acquisition Bill was uncalled for and completely in contrast with the awaited industrial evolution of the country.

Let us see if at all the revisions proposed by the BJP to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act are anti-farmers and pro-industrialists. The amendments favor ‘no consent’ from stakeholders, but do not overlook the underlying benefits in these special cases which range from defense and national security to affordable housing for underprivileged and village electrification. There exists a fundamental dream of housing for all by 2022, and if you believe that the same will be possible without land acquisition, you need extensive lessons on fiscal administration and policy implementation. The UPA’s concerned land legislation of 2013 identified tenant farmers and landless workers as stakeholders under the Social Impact Assessment, and made it rather impossible for sincere development projects to obtain necessary sanctions. Shall I not remind you that the bulldozers and cranes Congress is talking about as the killers of farmers will only result in infrastructure growth, employment for world’s largest inhabited youth population and extension of basis amenities like roads, power and sanitation to the rural parts of India?

Madhya Pradesh has seen a number of natural calamities in past years, at times when the UPA was in-charge of nation’s furtherance, as being the party with majority in the parliament. Flood and droughts have hit almost the entire of North India as well as other parts, but this is one of those rare occasions that Congress is anxious, moved and highly restless for the loss of Indian farmers. The president of the party is to visit the state of MP where unseasonal rain has hit the produce of farmers; however they had no such compassion for agriculturists while in power at the center. Congress, communist parties, TMC and others have found a trump card in their hands in the form of proposed Land Acquisition Bill of the BJP-led government; they feel that the lost ground could be gained back by sympathizing and crying over farmers’ alleged loss, causing severe blow to the economic lead India is on the verge to take. A march from Sansad Bhawan to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, where the largest opposition party collaborated with other groups was nothing more than a way to advertise false commitment towards Indian farmers who gained nothing apart from debts and suicides in decades of Congress reign.

The Ordinance of the BJP government that furthers the real interest of the farmers’ community will lapse on the 4th of April and a candid leader, Narendra Modi, was left with no other choice than to re-promulgate the ordinance with the nine amendments passed by the Lok Sabha. And then, even if after efforts to form consensus over new ordinance with opposition parties, the conclusion is detrimental, a joint session of both the houses would do the needful, a notion which is in the constitution as I believe that the makers of this binding supreme law knew about the communal divide of India which would give birth to unworthy political leaders, and hence dimness of ruling party in the upper house wouldn’t let growth agendas prosper. A Bill that aims at consolidating separate labors of the government, Indian industry and general public by exempting five categories from requiring consent of land owners has to be accorded the right to become a binding legislation, in the interest of farmers, job-seekers, commerce and the nation at large. The Bill also carries upright provisions for guarantee of employment to one member of the affected family due to acquisition of land and power to the judiciary to take cognizance of officials committing mistakes.

To the sadness of Indian legislature, since more than two decades, the political party with majority in the Lok Sabha has always struggled for backing in the Rajya Sabha, a weird and unfavorable situation that has only accorded power to illicit politicians, and has made it practically unmanageable for governments to bring pro-growth legislations. In the past, we have seen ruling parties showering opposition leaders in Rajya Sabha with perks like immunity from CBI probe, bungalows in Delhi’s elite localities and their inclusion in the cabinet. For PM Modi, it is time to rise above these tactics and pave way for prolific legislations by employing astute and honest deeds. For the members of the Rajya Sabha, it is a pure misconduct and misuse of their offices if works of government chosen by the public at large are hampered just for pity political paybacks.

Writers, and independent analysts and advisors do warn of imprudent decisions taken by governments, which ought to be paid heed to. I, in my article, ‘New Land Acquisition Law- Merits and Concerns’ dated 15th April 2014, pointed out flaws in the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Hereunder is a brief transcript.

“The new government that will be looked upon as the driving force for infrastructural development will have to face the challenges brought in by this new piece of legislation. The real intention of urbanization and industrialization can thus remain unachieved.

The upcoming union government would be clueless to manage something that has promised too much for land owners who would now resist to any modifications, with hindrance to the much-needed infrastructural and economic growth.”

95 thoughts on “Opposition’s fake anxiety, RS disruption is nation’s loss”

  1. Ashok

    Over 2 lac crore is the amount of funds that FIIs have brought in to India for investments in the past one year.
    They are relying on Indian market because of steady gov and brainy PM. Opposition is a severe hurdle.

    Reply ↓
  2. Ritesh

    Sir can we not get rid of this dual parliament structure or make the lower house much more powerful than upper house.
    There should be a way to make constitutional amendments for this.

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  3. K.M. Saini

    What a way to attack non-BJP parties. Is RS only causing disrupions?
    What about pro-corporate BJP which if not checked will away all resources to corporates and poor will be left with nothing?

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  4. Subhash Thakurta

    Your article title seems to be correct but timing seems to be wrong as timing defines the opposition. If you take in today’s concept then opposition means 69 % of the people who have not voted to ruling party which made me surprised to read the article. I hope the same opposition who is now batting were fielding when today’s context opposition is bowling. . Hence blaming pitch is wrong. Please note the following . One has to work under the system laid down in a constitution.

    1 Your article started with closed mind set that unicameral-ism is better than Bicameralism. Had you mentioned that Countries like Argentia, Austrilia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, Malaysia Mexico, Pakistan, Switerzerland and USA along with those countries who had unicameralism than it would have proved that you are open for discussion.

    2. Please note Toughest examination of our country like IIT /Medical and UPSC are also conducted in multiplier. In fact CA examination is also like that. Best Engineer Doctor and IAS officer of our country comes after clearing multilayer examination . No point in blaming system. Only Failure blames system. Those who clears IIT never blames system but those who can not clear IIT only blames system.

    3. It has been proved that IIT /IAS fellows can clear Politician’s Examination ( election ) but reverse is not true.

    3. For a common man or for that matter for democracy it has been proved that bicameralism is far better than unicameral-ism. As on today since 69 % of National population is against ruling party that does not mean that system is having a problem.

    Regards

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  5. M.G. Arora

    You may be right that voters have changed their way of judging politicians in the recent times.
    Vote bank politics however is still alive and will remain alive unless we have an educated and well settled voter base.

    Reply ↓
  6. Akshay

    You know it was in the late 40s that Britain amended its legislative structure and gave more powers to House of Commons.
    Same should be done in India if we want our leaders to run the country properly.

    Reply ↓
  7. Deepak

    See, you cannot talk about unicameralism in India because we are a very big democracy.
    But yes I am in favour of more powers to LS as compared to RS.

    Reply ↓
  8. B.D. Kapoor

    BJP is to take the confidence of AIADMK and even BJD, TMC and Congress to run the government smoothly.
    Modi should learn such tactics from past PM Shri Vajpayee Ji, he was a genious in this.

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  10. Atul

    All are same Sir. BJP never let Congress do work and now Congress is not letting them pass legislations.
    It is the fate of Indian people who are divided in the name of castes and religions that every ruler is a lootera.

    Reply ↓
  11. Munishwar

    Why is there no system of punishing politicians who do not let the parliament session function in the laid down manner.
    They occupy offices for 5 years and never work for the benefit of people.

    Reply ↓
  12. R.Bhandari

    Dear Dr Gupta,
    From time to time I have followed your blog from time to time on topical subjects. Those were generally with fair enlightenment and worldly wisdom.

    This subject, however, states serious bias and I take it as inappropriate.
    My reason for being let down is that much is disruption of legislatures at centre it in States is sad & cannot be approved, to say acts of disruptions by present opposition is ‘fake’ is incorrect.
    Though I hold no brief for any party or grouping and, if my memory is not failing, it was not long ago when opposition in the previous parliamentary term present grouping did the same. Did it not cost the nation then?

    I would gladly agree that very act was and is reprehensible no matter this opposition or that. I am hurt when wise men openly take sides with evident biased ness. I can sides. But then I have to identify myself with that side.

    My heart bleeds when I shout down people for cause of the poor but after assuming office I do an about turn. You will agree that ‘Public sab janti hai, sir!’
    Regards

    Reply ↓
  14. Sailesh

    Congress TMC and Janata Dal parties are real barriers of development.
    When Congress was in government it lacked that instinct to take wise decisions and now they are protesting government’s work.
    A big shame on these losers.

    Reply ↓
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  94. Narendra Ch

    Its true it is a national loss..but the ruling party will have more responsibility to ensure smooth functioning of legislative bodies..When it tried to move with unilateral attitude, the opposition may be left with other alternatives..Both Cognress and BJP are doing same when they are in ruling or in opposition..only changing their seats..but attitudes are same.

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  95. Suresh Kohli

    people and farmers have the fear of Haryana & Rajasthan kind of states and what has been going on when the corrruption has been at its HIGHEST and for people to see what a turnaround it has been with Coalgate etc they know that this Govt means the best for them -Disruption by the other parties is only going to lose them more Votes and more hatred towards them is becoming apparent – President Mukerjhi knows what is good for the country.

    Reply ↓

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