Doing Housework

Congress,BJP must know it is in their own interest to make this session of Parliament productive

Congress,BJP must know it is in their own interest to make this session of Parliament productive

Given Parliaments record of dismally unproductive sessions of the past few years,it takes very little to spark hopes of a turnaround. Even so,the governments offer of keeping open the possibility of extending the monsoon session could be a stand-out declaration of intent of turning the page from the deadlocks of sessions past. In this last stretch before campaign considerations grip the entire polity,it is in the governments,and the Congresss,interest to extend as magnanimous a hand as it can to ensure smooth functioning of the House and swing its legislative agenda. And indeed,it is in the main opposition partys interest to show itself to be alert to issues of national importance by abandoning its tiresome obstructionism and articulating its stand on the floor of the House. In a larger sense,the robustness of the legislative wing of government has come under great stress during the term of this Lok Sabha. But were the treasury and opposition benches to take stock,it would be clear that even in the narrowest reading of a zero-sum game,not one of them has come out of it looking good. Making the monsoon session work is in every major partys interest.

As the schedule currently holds,when the two Houses meet today,they will have a packed agenda to consider for passage. These include long-pending bills that are holding up reform in sectors like pension and insurance,and also UPA 2s marquee legislation on food security. Finance Minister P. Chidambarams indication of having reached some agreement on key financial legislation with the BJPs leaders in both Houses is a promising signal. Parliament also needs to weigh in,as only the national legislature can in a federal democracy,on the governments nod to bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.

In essence,the agenda before the monsoon session is nothing less than restoring the strength and vitality of Parliament by the simple task of going about the legislatures schedule in workman-like manner. It will always be marked to this Lok Sabhas discredit that the institution has been so thoroughly enfeebled. The BJP should be aware that nothing can help it rationalise or excuse its strategy of opposing by obstruction. By rebuffing all opportunities to engage with legislation,it has given no impression of having a stake in Indias long-term concerns. And the Congress must know how damagingly the potential of UPA 2 has been undermined by its reluctance to cede the floor of the House to

the opposition.