Viju Cherian Moneycontrol News
Most political parties concur that liquor baron Vijay Mallya, diamond merchant Nirav Modi and former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi must be brought back to face trial in Indian courts. But will they work together to ensure this is done?
Come July 18, when the monsoon session of Parliament starts, lawmakers will have to get together to pass the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance, 2018, which will pave the way for the Modis and Mallya to face justice. If passed, the law will help the government declare a person as a fugitive economic offender if he/she has an arrest warrant issued for an offense involving a sum of Rs 100 crore or more, and refuses to return to the country to face prosecution.
While this is just one of the important legislations that will come up in Parliament, the prevailing acrimonious political climate raises doubts on efficient Parliament functioning, yet again.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comment about the Congress working for the interest of Muslims has increased tensions between the government and the opposition. This tension is likely to play out when the Muslim Marriage (Protection of Marriage Rights) Bill, 2017, which is also known as the triple talaq bill, is discussed in the upper house.
The government and Congress are squabbling over a bill that would ensure 33% of all Lok Sabha and assembly seats are for women. While Congress president Rahul Gandhi has offered “unconditional support”, the Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the main opposition party of playing double standards.
Non-cooperation among parties can’t happen at a worse time as there are some major bills that are waiting to be passed. The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, also known as the anti-rape bill, will increase the punishment of those convicted of rape. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, which needs to become law, recognises the rights of home-buyers by classifying them as financial creditors. If these ordinances are not passed, they will lapse.
Then there are others like a constitutional amendment which will make the National Commission for Backward Classes a constitutional body and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, which will define the right to self-identity of transgenders and prohibit discrimination against them.
With such important legislation pending, one would think that the NDA government would be making conciliatory efforts to ensure a smooth session. But this does not seem to be the case here.
If there is one thing the BJP has failed to do, and badly at it, it is in building bridges with the Opposition. After winning the 2014 general election in a convincing manner, the government refused to show graciousness and be accommodative — two qualities essential for the smooth running of Parliament.
This rigidity has been evident right from the decision on the appointment of the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, where this position is vacant because there is no single party in the opposition with a seat share of at least 10%.
Now, four years and many unproductive Parliament sessions later, the Congress might be in no mood to oblige the government’s call for a smooth session.
According to PRS Legislative Research, a non-profit research institute, this government-opposition bitterness meant that the last (Budget) session was the least productive Budget Session since 2000. After a recent meeting with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vijay Goel, the minister of state (parliamentary affairs) acknowledged that the Budget session was a “complete wash-out.”
For the monsoon session to be productive, political parties must set aside their differences. It will be unfortunate if this session is wasted in political one-upmanship.
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