Glad, House is working

How reassuring that the Parliament is functioning! We are impressed at this sudden change in attitude of our netas, who, on the first two days of the monsoon session, refrained from behaving in a disorderly manner. At least this far, we have not witnessed them trooping into the well of the House, shouting slogans, challenging the presiding officer, displaying placards, tearing the agenda papers, and generally working for abrupt adjournments without the House conducting official business. The last few sessions were nearly washed out, with the Opposition and the ruling party locked in a fierce contest of wills, with neither side willing to yield. It may be that what the Parliament did was a reflection of the red-hot confrontation prevailing in the polity, with the relations between the ruling party and the Opposition so embittered that there was no prospect of a negotiated settlement of differences. In a democracy, the ruling party and the Opposition are supposed to be two sides of the same coin, or two wheels of a train. But the way our parties conducted themselves hitherto, it appeared as if they were blood enemies and not mere political adversaries. We do not know what brought about this miraculous transformation, but it most welcome. Whether it is the fear of a popular backlash against obstructionist behaviour, or the Opposition now reckons it has a better case to make against the government, regardless, the change is admirable. Hopefully, this show of sanity will last all through the session. The admission of the TDP-sponsored no-confidence motion on the first day of the session helped immensely in cooling passions. It will serve as a safety valve to release all the pent-up feelings on either side. The first such no-trust motion to be admitted in this Parliament offers both the sides ample opportunity to present their respective cases before the country ahead of crucial State and parliamentary elections. Though there is no mystery as to the outcome, with the government sitting pretty, nonetheless, it will have to respond to sharp criticism, some of it most valid, from the Opposition. The critics will have a field day pinning down the government for its various acts of omission and commission, mostly the former. From the mayhem wrought by the cow vigilantes, the ghar wapsi activists, the lynchings following fake WhatsApp messages about child abductors, the flight of economic offenders like Nirav Modi, the PNB scam, lack of jobs, refusal to reduce excise and other levies on petrol, diesel, the tardiness over the higher judiciary appointments, rising consumer price inflation, slow growth of exports, etc. These and many more issues provide the Opposition with enough ammunition to pin down the government. Then there is the dismissal of the Mehbooba Mufti government and the apparent lack of direction in J&K. The extraordinary spectacle of the infighting at the top in the CBI, the lack of communication between the apex investigating agency and the Enforcement Directorate, the continuing standoff between the Delhi Lt. Governor and the Delhi government, are some of the other points expected to be highlighted by the Opposition. Again, the standoff with Pakistan without any move towards normalization, the apparent change of tack in relation to China, Trump’s sabre-rattling on trade, the logjam over the import of oil from Iran over the Opposition of Trump, too will come in for a mention. Of course, the government will have its own chargesheet against the Opposition, with the ruling party members indulging in a lot of whataboutery, recalling the time when the UPA had run a loot-and-scoot government. The high point will be if Rahul Gandhi is able to live up to his boast that he required only ‘fifteen minutes to put Modiji on the mat’. And, of course, as his wont, Modi will respond in kind, pulverizing the Opposition with his fire and brimstone response. All in all, a good day for the country in Parliament, when its elected representatives are able to air their differences in a civilized manner, trying to hold the government accountable. And the government, on its part, is allowed to explain itself without display of ill-will and rancour in a cooperative spirit. Parliament is for debate and discussion; not for slogan-shouting and disruptions. We are glad common sense seems to have dawned on our ‘netas’. Keep it up, honourable members.