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Journalism of Courage
It has been five days since Parliament was allowed to transact any business. The initial spate of adjournments was caused by the Congress-led Oppositionacirc;euro;trade;s insistence on discussing the issue of the resignation of the three chargesheeted ministers in the Ayodhya demolition case. That issue was subsequently overtaken by the furore over the prime ministeracirc;euro;trade;s controversial statements on Ayodhya and, after that, his equally controversial clarifications.
Admittedly, the issue is a sensitive one. But it is also clear that its present resuscitation is not entirely spontaneous. Both the government and the Opposition can be accused of drawing mileage from deliberately stoking it if the Congress gets to play Opposition at last, the BJP also has a clear pay-off in replaying an old and rewarding tune before a new round of elections. The onus is now on both, and on the Opposition in particular which has been the more belligerent, to ensure that the nation does not pay too heavy a price while Parliament stays paralysed.The time has come to break the deadlock and get on with the business of the House.
A long list of important Bills that are pending from earlier sessions have yet some distance to cover to the statute book; many crucial pieces of legislation are still to be introduced. In the residual business, there is the Central Vigilance Bill, 1999, for instance, slated to be tabled this session. The changes suggested by the joint parliamentary committee,diluting the CVCacirc;euro;trade;s powers, are bound to spark a robust debate. The Freedom of Information Bill, 2000, is another important Bill that awaits consideration and passing. Also waiting its turn is the innocuously titled Constitution 85th Amendment Bill, 1999, better known as the Womenacirc;euro;trade;s Bill, which has survived the many attempts to scuttle it.
Old business as well as new deserves not only the attention of the House but its time too. While Congress leaders have promised that the Bills will be passed, the point is that they do not need to be passed alone. There must be debate and discussion as well. It would be a pity if serious legislative business is given a short shrift and Bills are legislated without the customary debate a definite likelihood if more precious parliamentary time is lost through more adjournments.
