It is a relief that the impasse in Parliament has ended, signalling that some serious business could resume in both Houses. The pity is that around 10 working days in a four-week Winter Session have been lost. Public confidence in our politicians would go up if both Houses found it possible to extend their working hours in a bid to make up some of the time forfeited for reasons that don’t appear good enough to most ordinary citizens.
An attempt by the political class to return to the pivotal institution of Parliament to brainstorm and consider matters of import, rather than simply boycotting it at the drop of a hat, would also enthuse all aspects of the system, including the economy. It must be recognised that the efficient functioning of Parliament is a potent symbol of the country being properly run and in good shape.
It is noteworthy that the breaking of the logjam on the issue of foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail at an all-party meeting on Wednesday — where it was decided the government would “suspend” the operation of the Cabinet decision on allowing 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail until a “consensus” was reached among political parties and state chief ministers — also meant that the Opposition parties gave up their earlier intransigence on several issues. It is extraordinary how the vociferous demand of the Opposition parties that the government must submit itself to an adjournment motion debate (in which voting takes place) on the issue of rising prices and black money came to be automatically extinguished when a deal was reached on the FDI question. Suddenly it seemed these issues had gone down in the table of priorities.
There can be little question that on the FDI issue itself, the government came off second best. It should have either waited for the session to end before taking an executive decision in the Cabinet, or raised a public debate on the subject before the Winter Session began. In the event, it found itself coming up short on parliamentary arithmetic, with some alliance partners as well as Congress benches dissenting with the measure. This has exposed the functional weaknesses not so much of the Prime Minister’s office but of the Congress Party’s leadership.
It is far from clear when the needed “consensus” on FDI will be available, if at all. It is unlikely that any of the major Opposition parties will change their tune and permit a consensus before the Assembly elections due in several states in a few months’ time. In lieu of this, it’s yet to be seen through which platform the government would choose to send a signal to domestic and foreign investors.