Oppn calls govt 'authoritarian' for taking the ordinance route

The opposition on Wednesday criticised the Modi government’s decision to take the ordinance route to hike the FDI in insurance, describing the move as authoritarian, unethical and subversion of established institutions.

The CPM urged President Pranab Mukherjee to “nip in the bud” the tendency to impose “authoritarian” rule, with the party’s  Politburo member Sitaram Yechury dubbing the government’s move to promulgate an ordinance a clear violation of Parliamentary norms.
“I am sincerely requesting you not to sanction such Ordinances,” Yechury said in his letter to Mukherjee.

The CPM contended that the Bill was a property of Parliament and promulgating an Ordinance on such a matter would amount to “grave violation of the sanctity of Parliamentary proceedings.”

Its rivals in West Bengal Trinamool Congress described the move as “unethical”. “For one month they (government) tried to pass this in Rajya Sabha where they are in a hopeless minority. Just 24 hours after Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die they used this back door route,” Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien said.

AICC General Secretary Shakeel Ahmed said the decision to issue Ordinances was a move by the Modi government to subvert established institutions. The government for its part has defended the ordinances saying there were enough precedences set by the previous governments, most of which were Congress led, where they had promulgated ordinances even when the bills were before Parliament.

“There are 11 precedents set by previous governments when Ordinances were issued when Parliament was considering legislations,” a senior Union Minister said.

“The ordinance on insurance sends a message to the world that the country can no longer wait for reforms,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in defence of the government’s decision to promulgate ordinances to increase FDI in insurance and allow auctioning of the coal blocks, a day after the Parliament session ended without passing the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill.

Arguments

*CPM's Sitaram's Yechury says move in clear violation of Parliamentary norms.
*Govt used 'back-door route', says Trinamool's Derek O'Brien.
*AICC general secretary Shakeel Ahmed says govt subverting established institutions.