If Parliament does not move, the country won’t, leave alone the economy. It is only in totalitarian systems that a government can function unhindered by institutions — such as Parliament or state Assemblies — that represent the power of the people exercised through their elected representatives. Indian industry has only just figured this out. Always busy looking for profit-optimising options, it never tires of urging governments to get a move on.
Not long ago it was critical of the Manmohan Singh government for its “policy paralysis”, for not pushing measures that would prepare the framework of domestic and international investments. Now industry appears to appreciate the situation better, and is busy cautioning Opposition parties.
On Sunday, HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh and former Unilever chief Ashok Ganguly, who is now in the Rajya Sabha, succinctly noted that “a slowing economy seems to pale in comparison to the larger crisis at hand — of a Parliament completely unable to function”. The two cautioned against “perennial dissent and disruption”. Let’s be clear — they’re not instigating autocracy. They are asking us to look beyond our nose. It’s not the FDI issue alone: Parliament was paralysed long before that. Not allowing the two Houses to run is to frustrate the people’s will — and its unintended effect could be to promote authoritarian tendencies. A year-long disruption of Parliament is unheard of, and a dubious record even for this fractious country. If the logjam continues, we will be inviting rule through executive fiat, a distinctly disagreeable prospect.