India PM’s plea falls on deaf ears of his own Congress party
Print Edition
Standing outside India’s parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed yesterday to political parties to cooperate with the government to ensure the monsoon session of parliament that started this week is “truly productive.”
With dozens of important bills piling up and a national election possibly just months away, the session may be Singh’s last chance to drive through some long-pending economic reforms and get parliament’s seal of approval on its flagship program to give cheap grain to 67 percent of the population.
There is much speculation that the government, now ruling as a minority after the withdrawal of key allies, could call early elections in November or December, although it insists it plans to serve out its full term until next May.
“We have wasted lot of time in the previous two or three sessions and I hope that will not be repeated in this session,” Singh said, speaking so softly that he was barely audible at times. “I appeal to the opposition to cooperate with the government in smooth running of the session.”
But when the trouble came within minutes of his plea, it was from Singh’s own Congress party.
Congress lawmakers forced the lower house of parliament to adjourn many times yesterday as they protested against their party’s decision last week to break up Andhra Pradesh into two states. Andhra is a major IT hub and attracts much of India’s foreign investment.
“The whole nation is watching. Please sit down,” said an exasperated Satpal Maharaj, a lawmaker who was presiding over proceedings in the lower house amid shouting from protesting lawmakers.
Singh does not have time to waste. The monsoon session is short — there are just 16 working days, even fewer if you don’t include the four days devoted to private members’ bills. The government has proposed a formidable legislative agenda — 43 bills and ordinances including one measure to allow up to 49 percent foreign investment in the pension sector and another aimed at simplifying the process of buying land for business purposes.
The most important measure is the food security ordinance, which will lapse if not passed this session. The US$22 billion cheap food plan is a central plank of the Congress party’s election platform as it seeks a third straight term in government. The plan aims to give 5kg of cheap rice and wheat every month to 800 million people, more than doubling the reach of the existing subsidized food system.
“The intention of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance coalition) is to use the monsoon session to push as many bills as possible in an attempt to wipe out four years of misrule and lack of governance,” Arun Jaitley, a leader of the main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, said.
Frequently paralyzed by verbal brawls between lawmakers, India’s parliament is doing less and less work. In 2012, the parliament passed just 22 of the 94 bills listed for consideration and passing.
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