The onus is on NDA to bring about a ‘Truce in Parliament’: By Bipin Sharma

With BJP embroiled in massive controversies such as Vyapam scam in MP and the LalitGate controversy involving the party’s two bigwigs namely the country’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, the opposition was served ample ammo on its platter to corner the ruling government on grounds of morality and accountability. Needless to say, myriads of Indian National Congress supporters sensed a golden opportunity when allegations against top BJP ministers (INC) came to the fore. However instead of making the most of this opportunity and putting the government on the mat on the issues of transparency, the Congress Party has sardonically made a mess of this splendid chance by not allowing a discussion in the Parliament. Experts believe the Congress strategy in the parliament is flawed, and would subsequently backfire on them.

Led from the front by their party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party has been unrelenting in not allowing the Parliament to run smoothly as their demands of resignations of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje have not been met despite vehement protests by their MPs and party workers across the country for days together.

While the Congress party is absolutely justified in seeking serious answers from BJP’s top brass as well as the PM, experts feel that by not allowing a serious discussion and a debate in the most revered “Temple of Democracy” in our country namely the ‘Indian Parliament’, the Congress party is on the threshold of losing a brilliant prospect of embarrassing the BJP.

The Congress cannot absolve itself of its flawed strategy by merely conveying that they are carrying forward the “Legacy of Disruptions” left by the previous principal opposition party i.e. the BJP.

Discussion sans ‘disruption’ holds the key to cornering and holding the government of the day accountable. Ironically, by shying away from a discussion on the same, and sticking to their adamant stance, the Congress party in all probability stands to lose in the longer run. A serious discussion in Parliament could have given the grand old Indian National Congress Party a much needed vital edge as they could have pushed the NDA to a tight corner on issues of impropriety and misuse of public office leveled against their top brass.

Ironically with the Congress being at the helm in leading the house to unruly ruckus and commotion, and thus paving the way towards a “washout session”, the public perception too is bound to go against them.

Apologists of the Congress Party were expecting their MPs to give a point by point rebuttal of NDA government in the Parliament. Alas, all in vain!

Talking about the serious implication of the washout monsoon session of the Parliament, it is the nation that stands to suffer eventually as the process of introducing and passing key bills will gratuitously get procrastinated.  When legislations don’t happen in Parliament, the reforms meant for public welfare are delayed thereby leading to widespread resentment and frustration among the citizens.

The key GST and the Land Acquisition Bill are crucial for the growth and development of the nation, which is why all parties must leave aside all their differences to ensure the speedy passing of these Bills.

As the ruling party, the onus is on the NDA, to ensure the smooth functioning of both houses of the Parliament.  By no means can they pass the buck on Congress, and express helplessness. The nation that gave them a thumping majority expects them to hasten the process of reforms in the country, and deliver the promises made during the elections in 2014.

The think tanks of the NDA have to think out of the box for getting the opposition parties on board.

It’s an acid test for the Modi government which needs to prove through their actions and astute strategy that they are indeed serious about fulfilling the promises made to the citizens of the country.

A failure on the part of the government to bring about a “Truce in Parliament” would indubitably put a serious question mark on not just the capabilities and the intentions of the NDA government, but also the popularity of Prime Minister Modi.