Get on with it

Captive to its debilitating infighting,the BJP has been holding Indias parliamentary functions hostage to the vagaries of its internal politics. It needs no emphasis that such a course of action ill-behooves a party with elected representatives in Parliament,let alone one electorally mandated to function as the main parliamentary opposition. Yet,by continuing to boycott the Public Accounts Committees proceedings,the BJP is making a mockery of the public expectations thrust upon it,and diminishing its own stature in Parliament and in national politics. It should be all the more embarrassed,given the stronger sense of responsibility that some of its alliance partners,such as the JDU,have demonstrated by attending the PACs first meeting on September 7.

The politics of Jaswant Singhs expulsion from the BJP and its subsequent demand that he step down as chairman of the PAC a post that,since 1967,has conventionally gone to the opposition should not interfere with the committees task,which is vital to the executives accountability. That the PAC examines the governments expenditure,its finance accounts and other accounts laid before the House,makes the oppositions role essential. In fact,the PAC provides space for the opposition to question the executive and impact national politics in ways not circumscribed by House circumstances and parliamentary sessions. By vacating this space,even temporarily,the BJP is abdicating its political responsibility to the nation.

For the record,this is not the first instance of the BJP passing up opportunities to opine and intervene it has failed consistently to do so on important economic and foreign policy matters,building itself instead monuments to non-issues. It appears that NDA constituents like the Shiv Sena and the Swatantra Bharat Paksh may attend the next PAC meeting too. Even one of its own nominees in the PAC,Shanta Kumar,has publicly wondered if the BJPs boycott can continue for a full year a PAC chairmans term since the committees work has to go on. If thats the voice of the BJPs conscience,the party had better pay heed.