Paralysis Time in Parliament again

Speaking to The Indian Express, BJP parliamentary party spokesman V K Malhotra said: ‘‘We will not only boycott the two Houses but also all meetings of consultative committees, standing committees, business advisory committee, and also not attend any meeting called by the Speaker for the next three days.’’ Although NDA MPs will enter Parliament building, they will ‘‘not sign the attendance register and not take their daily allowance.’’

The tone for the NDA meeting was set much earlier in the day when Leader of Opposition L K Advani, addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting, accused the Government of treating the Opposition ‘‘not as a political adversary but as the enemy.’’ He asked party MPs to resolutely ‘‘fight this tendency.’’

The Opposition’s determination to take on the Government, and particularly Laloo, was clear when it fielded Vajpayee, who speaks rarely but remains the NDA’s supreme commander. His sharp attack on Laloo for naming the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal in connection with the Vadodara incident came as a morale booster to party MPs.

Although Laloo remains the immediate provocation for the Opposition boycott, the decision reflects a much deeper antipathy between the UPA and NDA that has been simmering—and often bursting into the open—for close to a year now.

The very first session of the 14th Lok Sabha from June 2 to 10, 2004 was rocked by the ‘‘tainted ministers’’ issue, with the Opposition boycotting the motion of thanks to the President’s address which was finally put to vote without discussion.

The monsoon session from July 21 to August 22 was also marked by bitterness. Even as the ‘‘tainted ministers’’ issue continued to haunt Parliament, the removal of Governors and Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s ‘‘dictatorial manner’’ were added to the list of grievances.

Both sides called for a truce in the winter session but that did not stop ugly scenes from erupting in the House especially when RJD members tried to raise allegations levelled against Advani by his former daughter-in-law to get even with the anti-Laloo remarks made by BJP MPs.

The first half of the Budget session this year was stormy as the Opposition seized upon the Goa and Jharkhand issue, accusing the governors of both states of subverting democracy and playing a partisan role.

The session was on the verge of being paralysed till Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stepped in and ensured the resignation of the Shibu Soren ministry and installation of the Arjun Munda government in Ranchi.

But rancour returned to Parliamentary discourse when the Budget Session resumed after its recess last week. The government’s U-turn over George Fernandes’ role after giving him a clean chit in the Kargil war purchases case raised the hackles of the NDA. Then came the alleged attack on Laloo Prasad Yadav in Gujarat, with the UPA led by the Left fully backing the Railway Minister and the NDA rooting for Modi.

The framing of charges against Laloo only provided fresh fodder to the Opposition’s campaign demanding the removal of the RJD chief—and their bitterest bete noire—from the Union Government.