It's not just FDI STALLING

Before the winter session of Parliament when Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar called the customary all party meeting, leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj assured them that if the ruling party took the opposition into confidence on controversial bills, they would find support that cuts across party lines.

It was keeping this sweet assurance in mind that parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal declared that the Parliament in this session would pass 31 important bills, including the anti-graft Lokpal Bill and introduce 23 new bills.

But as soon as proceedings began it became clear that the clouds were gathering, just as it happened during the Monsoon session. No sooner had the Union cabinet cleared its decision to introduce 100 per cent FDI in retail, all hell broke loose. Promises went out of the window and the opposition sensing an opportunity, decided to tear into the government.

Says Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, “It makes sense for the Congress to take decisions like this. They are eying the assembly elections in the five states and the 2014 general elections. But it makes no sense for us to accept them.”

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said that the government's claim that FDI is directed at furthering economic reforms is incorrect. The FDI will derail the small entrepreneur and will not benefit them, which is contrary to what the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee have been publicly stating.

The government blames the BJP and the Left for throwing the spanner in the works but in reality their own allies including the DMK, SP and BSP too arestrongly opposed to the decision.

As far as introducing the controversial bills is concerned, Congress strategists in the Parliament told their leadership that despite opposition tantrums, the bills would get passed at the last moment, as has been the case earlier.

In fact, the consensus on the bills itself appears to be elusive. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury told TSI that the bills which the government wanted to introduce and clear in the ongoing parliament session were politically motivated and had an eye on elections.

By introducing the bills, the Congress wants to tell the country that while it is trying, it is the opposition parties that are playing the role of obstructionists.

“While it is true that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would want to introduce the Judicial Accountability Bill, Food Security Bill and other pending bills and credit the NIC or the party for it, other bills like the Lokpal Bill and the Mines and Minerals Bill is connected directly to the public and the opposition would demand amendments,” he said.

Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal says that the future of the bills hinges on the main opposition party, BJP's attitude (see interview). He also adds that the UPA's attempt would be "to involve the opposition in an open debate and take their support".

The key question, however, is the floor strategy that the UPA has decided to adopt in this session of the Parliament. At its Central Parliamentary Board meeting held earlier, the party ordered all its ministers to be present in the house at all times so that the government appears strong. A three-line whip issued by the party has asked members to be present in both houses of the Parliament in full strength and display aggression where required.

The BJP parliamentary party on the other hand has decided to tighten the noose around the government's neck. And that appears to be the general consensus among the other opposition and regional parties as well.

BJP's Ananth Kumar told TSI that the 23 bills which the government wants to introduce are essentially political in nature. “We also want the bills to be introduced and passed but with significant amendments. The proposed new bills that we have received are incomplete. We are as concerned about the bills as the ruling party but in a parliamentary democracy, it is our right to seek amendments. It is important to remember that five bills were passed during the Budget session and 10 in the Monsoon session where the government had our constructive support.''

The Congress also expects trouble in the Rajya Sabha where well-researched Left members are waiting for the bills with impatience.

But veteran Congressmen are not peturbed. They say - with the benefit of hindsight - that there is time at hand and the opposition would come around to their point of view. "The government's intentions are transparent and clean," says Bansal.

With the UPA and opposition locking horns, the stage looks set for a battle royale this winter.