Govt must ensure Parliament works

The best prospect for the winter session of Parliament set to start on Monday is that it should take place at all and be normal. A normal session has not happened in the recent past, and that has not done anything to raise the stature of Parliament, the government, the Opposition and the members of the Houses. The government cancelled the winter session last year citing the pandemic; this year’s budget session was curtailed as members wanted to campaign for Assembly elections in some states; and the monsoon session was lost to protests over the Pegasus spyware and the farm laws, and was adjourned before schedule. This winter session is also not likely to be quiet, but it hopefully won’t be a washout. It is the responsibility of both the government and the Opposition to ensure that Parliament works.

The session is expected to last over three weeks and is to conclude on December 23. The government has a substantial legislative agenda, which will include, most importantly, the repeal of the three farm laws. It has listed 26 bills, including the cryptocurrency regulation bill, a bill that aims to amend the SC/ST list in poll-bound UP, and others on mediation, migration, etc. The farm laws repeal bill is bound to produce heat, especially because the Opposition will demand a law on the Minimum Support Price (MSP), resignation of the Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, and compensation for the farmers who died during the agitation. The Opposition will try to corner the government on issues like inflation, Chinese intrusions into Indian territory, militant attacks in Kashmir, fresh disclosures about the Rafale deal and a number of other issues.

There are efforts towards floor co-ordination among Opposition parties, and the Congress has taken an initiative for that. But it is unlikely that there will be full co-ordination as there is much distrust and rancour between the Congress and the Trinamool Congress. A united Opposition that raises issues of concern for the people and the country will make an impact, and the means should be reasoned arguments and decorous conduct, not uproars, barracking and walkouts. The government has a greater responsibility. It should not treat the Opposition as unnecessary and irrelevant, as it usually does, and should try to gain their confidence. The government has tended to act arrogantly and even subverted rules and procedures to have its way in Parliament. Only a government that respects Parliament can induce the Opposition to respect it. But if the Opposition’s boycott of the Constitution Day event and the Prime Minister’s remarks on that day are indications, the session will see more confrontation than conversation.