As many as 43 bills are supposed to be taken up in the monsoon session this year. But with Telangana and LoC killings of Indian soldiers repeatedly disrupting the proceedings of the House, does this seem feasible, considering that only 14 days are left for the session to close? Senior journalist Arati Jerath joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.
Q. Ma'm, LoC killings are deplorable and should be condemned at the highest level. What is now happening is playing to the galleries and showing who is more concerned about the issue. If we have the guts like ISRAEL, we should take army action..for which neither the BJP nor the UPA will advocate. The way Telangana isuse has been handled is certainly a mess created by UPA. After asking all the political parties of their opinion on creating a separate state, they went ahead with a decision, and now they have appointing a HIGH power committee to look in to the grievances of Andhra People. Why could they not appoint this committee before. Congress gives their opinion at 4.00 p.m and at 7 they announce their decision. Hence, all this loss of time is of their making. Asked by: S ESHWAR
A. Agreed. The Telengana issue has been handled very badly by the Congress. It has flip-flopped for so long and now that the decision has been taken to create a separate state, it seems to be motivated by political considerations. Unfortunate because I do think India needs smaller states for better governance and to bring democracy closer to people.
Q. When public servants have a rule of no work no pay why not the same at all levels? Will that get the law makers to work in the house? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Parliament serves two functions. One is to make laws. The other is as a political platform to raise burning issues of the day. With an election round the corner, I'm afraid that the latter overtakes the former. That is why the monsoon session is unlikely to see much legislative business.
Q. Saw and heard just two/Three law makers in the well caused an adjournment of proceedings of the house. Why is it that the silent majority always allows such things and suffers? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. There seems to be a unspoken mood in Parliament to let the monsoon session slide. Political aprties are already in election mode. They are just waiting for the term of this government to finish so that polls can be announced.
Q. Rains, Floods - a wash out of the monsoon session could be a prediction of IMD - Indian Media Departments. So far technically the main opposition BJP has not been in the picture for disturbing proceedings. Do you expect a better position from next week after the heat LOC/Telengana eases out? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Not really. Other issues will come up to disrupt proceedings. And don't be fooled by the BJP's apparent good behaviour. It seems to ahve decided to let the smaller parties take the lead in disrupting the House. Otherwise, how can just two or three MPs stall proceedings?
Q. The Elected representatives want to be respected and do claim privileges. Why can not they voice their dissent in a respectable manner in Parlaiment? is the Government not listening to them or they are indifferent? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. I completely agree with you that Parliament should not become a fish market. Opposition parties must learn to voice their dissent through proper debate and the government must learn to listen and respond. Unfortunately, there seems to be a widening communication gap between the government and the opposition. Both sides want to score political points over the other.
Q. Scant respect to the chair in both houses. Is there no way to bring the house to order? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. I feel that much depends on the political will of the ruling party and the skills of its leaders to negotiate with opposition parties. The Congress has been so overwhelmed by corruption scams in UPA 2 that it seems to have lost the capacity to ensure that Parliament runs smoothly.
Q. It was said that the Live telecast of house proceedings could be withdrawn to get the houses to work. Is that a wanted, feasible and result oriented Idea? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Although there is a feeling that live telecast encourages disruptions because MPs want to play to the gallery, I think the malaise afflicting our Parliament goes much deeper than that. Perhaps it is time for a drastic overhaul of the system we have. Decorous debates are probably better suited to the country from which have borrowed our parliamentary system, the UK.
Q. Even without Telengana and LOC issues,the UPA 2 had created for itself problems sure to stall the parliament. The ordinance on the food bill and the decisions of the cabinet on FDI were sure trouble makers. The GOI had not taken all on board on these issues. Even their supporters have reservations on these. Why the haste? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. The Congress hopes to make the food security law the main showpiece of its election campaign in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. That is why it is in a hurry to push it through despite reservations from some of its own chief ministers.
Q. The UPA 2 having planned for 43 bills speaks of it's experience that in the Parliament bills can be got through without discussions. What is the minimum time for a bill to be discussed in each house? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. It depends on the bill. Some are routine pieces of legislations which can be passed with minimum discussion. Some are contentious laws and require thorough discussion in a smaller forum such as a select committee where a consensus is easier to forge. The process can take time. Look at the Lok Pal bill. It's been pending in different forms for over 40 years!
Q. Except for Food Security Bill passage, do you think any meaningful business will take in the current session? Asked by: Abhishek
A. There are two other issues that are of immediate concern to political aprties. One is the decision to bring political parties under RTI. The other is the recent judgements by the Supreme Court, one ordering immediate disqualification of a convicted elected legislator, the other banning a jailed politician from contesting an election. The second order in particular is vulnerable to misuse by ruling parties who want to settle scores with political opponents. I believe the government and opposition parties are talking to find a way out to protect the interests of the political class. Since these are issues that affect all parties, I think the monsoon session may take them up.
Q. Why don't we make time late in the evening for MPs to lodge their protests and for debates other than the ones listed for the day by the chair? Asked by: suresh
A. It's a good idea but MPs make their own rules. For instance, it is understood that Question Hour will never be disrupted. But it happens often because parties feel that the issue they want to raise is so important that Question Hour must be suspended. The Rajya SAbha tried to change the timing of Question Hour so that this all important mechanism to query the government on policy matters and executive decisions functions properly. It didn't work.
Q. Smaller states agreed, but not at the perils of other stake holders of other regions right? Asked by: Kaushik
A. That is why it is important to set up a second states reorganisation committee which can take a holistic view and consider all issues.
Q. Why when common man wants to take action against Pakistan and China when govt wants to talk? Do Gov knows something that we don't know? Is it just chaltha hai attitude? Why should I give a damn? Is this govt has lost track of peoples wants? Asked by: raja
A. I don't believe that war is a feasible option in this day and age. Of course, we shouldn't allow our opponents to bleed us. We have to remain vigilant all the time and take tough diplomatic action when needed.
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