Walk out....and keep going

The Indian parliament seems to be in a state of gridlock again. Every time there seems to be an important policy issue on the table, the political players choose rancor over sanity and extortion over unanimity. The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) bill in the retail sector is similar in magnitude to the disinvestment policy of the late 90's by all means, in that it hopes to open up the largely unregulated Indian retail sector to foreign chains like Walmart and Ikea, with benefit going to the government coffers and the consumer. Inevitably, the producer would be stuck in the middle, and while the Indian farmers are already burdened with middlemen and procurement failures, the entry of a global behemoth that has the cash and muscle to outrace the competition would indeed complicate the already tangled web of field-to-store delivery. 

It is therefore a subject that requires serious deliberation on part of every citizen and politician alike. The concerns of mom-and-pop shop owners are legitimate. Considering how much of the American retail market is dominated by chains like Walmart and Fry's, it is not impossible to imagine serious consequences for small shop owners, especially in the big cities and metros where these retail chains are expected to being operations first. However, one cannot deny the job creation and infrastructural benefits that will accrue once these stores start running their functions. And there can be enough check and balances built into the system so that no one feels cheated, and small business owners can thrive side-by-side with the behemoths. That would require raising issues and finding their solutions one at a time, which doesn't seem to be happening right now. 

The discussion on the FDI bill, expectedly, tuned into a free-for-all. There were moments of substance though, as the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha rightly addressed the current state of the Indian democracy as 'one of numbers' rather than 'one of trust'. Similarly, the Minister for Commerce tried to lob the ball back into the BJP's court and demanded why the once pre-reform party was reneging on its promise to invite foreign investment in the retail sector. The most annoying incident however was reserved for the climax. As the parliamentarians got down to vote, the two principal faux-opposition parties, the SP & the BSP, both trotting their socialist and secular credentials, decided to walk out altogether. The motion against the bill's passage was dead there and then. The government secured a 'victory', while the opposition was left staring at their fractured unity.

This is not the first instance of a walkout affecting the passage of a bill or a discussion in the parliament. Typically, it is a face-saving notion, where the failure to amass numbers by the opposition is drowned out by its PR managers outside the house. However, considering the significance of the FDI bill, the events surrounding this walkout demand some questions. Both of these parties are staunch enemies, and even at a personal level, yet support the same central government whose policies they detest at times. Leaders of both parties cried hoarse over the perceived loss business to the small shop owners. Co-incidentally, they also support the central coalition from the 'outside', which in simple words means that they can ask for favors without getting their hands dirty with the government's laundry. Could they have gotten a better occasion to make their displeasure at the government's proposal more clear? Could  they have gotten a better occasion to state which side of the aisle they stand on policy decisions? This walkout didn't help anybody, not least the Indian public. When people say that politics is a dirty business, behavior of this kind is what they often refer to. Walking out of the parliament before a vote is akin to walking out of an exam without even attempting it- it helps nobody involved. 

Should the legislators look at this problem more seriously, and make it compulsory for every elected member to vote on crucial policy decisions? Why not? We elect them to participate in polity, not be an absentee and sit outside the house. Indian parliamentarians are notorious for the marginal number of working days they put in (check out the statistics). They draw a hefty paycheck, yet participate close to negligible in the day-to-day affairs of the parliament. It is about time we bring in some systemic change in the way business is handled in the capital, so that  democracy can go back to 'one of trust' from 'one of numbers'. That is the least we can demand!

PS: Always a good time to revisit Yes, Prime Minister.

A sham masked as legitimate

Statement after statement emanating from 7 Race course road or the Congress headquarters speaks of the virtues of parliamentary supremacy and traditions, and how it is absolutely necessary to uphold them in the face of every vindictive attempt to drag their name into ignominy. There is a popular maxim in Hindi which goes like- Naach na jaane, aangan teda. Essentially, it means that if you fail at something, you try and find faults with the system which plays only a secondary role in your success. This is exactly what is going on in the ensuing drama between the government and the civil society leaders on the contentious subject of the Jan Lokpal bill. Many of us have been watching with bewilderment the brazen manner in which this current government, perhaps also one of the most corrupt and spineless in recent Indian history, is trying to stifle public opinion and protect the parliament's 'supremacy' over all matters related to national policy. Can you please get to the real issue?

As educated Indians, we are all in consensus that the parliament is indeed the seat of our vibrant democracy and a place for a billion people's voices to be represented in an organized manner. But any attempt to bypass those billions and forcing an oligarchic view of things that a group of parliamentarians see as legitimate, is rubbing salt into the wounds of the already hapless common man. Let's face it, irregardless of the reports from the IMD or the World Bank or McKinsey, Indians are facing an uphill battle to protect their right to a decent living right now. The poor are already overwhelmed; their misery cannot be sufficiently described in a blog post or a news channel debate. However, with rising inflation and all-pervasive corruption strengthening its hold on the system, even the middle class is starting to feel the brunt of government's inaction and blunders. All of us have had our tryst with corruption, while most of us await our tryst with destiny. It is a malaise that spreads like a cancer and preys on the minds of the corrupt and the corruptor.

And what exactly is this sanctity of the parliament that we are trying to protect. Last year, an entire session was wiped out due to a stand-off between an united opposition and an obdurate government. 2008 saw bundles of currency notes being displayed in the parliament as if it were a badge of honor. Scenes of disruption are an everyday sight. In fact, the government respects the parliamentary traditions so much that it objected to permission granted to the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha to speak on the issue of the Lokpal. Please, stop fooling us, stop this drama. Get on with business, or quit. We are more than capable of voting in a new government, albeit with a mandate of aspiration and transparency. Laissez faire can't go on anymore!

Hello PM! Welcome to the orientation

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh, I formally welcome you to your orientation as the prime minister of the Republic of India. I understand that you have not just assumed office, but surprisingly, have been at the helm for more than 7 years now. Therefore, as the famous maxim goes- Better late than never, we have decided to conduct an orientation for you to bring you up to speed with the fabrics of Indian democracy and parliamentary system. Well maybe we can leave out the latter, since that is all you and your cabinet seem to be adept at. But in our deliberations, we have concluded that it is of utmost importance that you also take some time out from your frantic consultations with Rahul baba to refresh your class 9th History & Civics.

Let's get started. So dear PM, it seems that you believe anything can only be done efficiently if it is completed in a time bound manner. Of course, your well grounded research of macroeconomic theory and your time at the helm of the Reserve bank of India can be attributed to have led you to this cementing of principles. Unfortunately, economics seems not to work that well in real life, as is evident from the runaway inflation plaguing the country at this moment. You also want to abrogate any attempts to impose pre-conditions on others, especially those who intend no harm to the country and are simply exercising their rights. You remember a certain man known as Mahatma Gandhi? He did it all the time, and the british, as gentlemanly as they were, never resorted to anything more than to arrest him and his followers. Yes sir, that is your government's prerogative, though you might want to balance it out considering we are an independent nation now.

Also, when you say that it is the parliament's prerogative to formulate policies and draft laws, you could not be more correct. But dear sir, as you must have been trained to do in your days as a grad student, you need to incorporate ideas to make them more effective. Your version of the Lokpal bill appears to be a portmanteau of what Raja would like and what Anna would dislike. You can't possibly be taking on two strong personalities, one who loves to taint his cabinet and the other who loves to serve his country. That is simply bad PR! And also, when you are giving important speeches, for example the national address, you must understand that you are not sitting in an auditorium of 50 people, all over 60, who came to discuss some deep lemma in the Keynesian model of economics. You need to show that you are the man in the driver's seat. For reference, check out Atal Bihari Vajpayee's speech on the Kargil war. You'll understand what I am talking about. And please, don't be shy of the media. They've made your party men stars, there is no reason you should allow your generosity to encompass the PM-public contact.

I hope that this session has been fruitful. The next session will be on how to keep a leash on the disruptive elements in your party, who like to have their foot in their mouth all the time!

Peace out.

PS: Arun jaitley shows Abhishek Manu Singhvi who's the boss.