Hope of normal session after war of wits

Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, Aug. 1: The Congress and the BJP appear to be locked more in a war of wits than real confrontation, which is a clear signal that Parliament’s monsoon session will start normal business after symbolic disruptions for a couple of days.

Sensing the public mood, members from both parties have given notices for urgent discussions on two issues — corruption and price rise.

While the BJP is itching to send out a message that the Centre had done nothing to curb rising prices and scandals, the Congress wants to show that the government was not fighting shy of confronting these problems.

Although the public posturing of both parties suggest intractable differences could paralyse the session for a long time, sources in the government said the two sides were engaged in “constructive negotiations” on how to run the House smoothly.

While there was consensus on the need to ensure maximum business, the sources said the government was trying to extract an acceptable deal from the BJP on the nature and mode of debate.

The BJP has given notices for discussions under rule 184, which entails voting. While the Congress feels the BJP’s trick of forcing a vote to expose the contradictions within the UPA would impede normal functioning, the BJP says the government cannot insist on using only those parliamentary devices that come with adequate safeguards.

The government wants the discussions under rule 193, which does not require a vote.

The two sides are also squabbling over the language of the motion, on which the debate will take place, as the government does not want to take the full blame for rising prices or corruption.

Last year, the BJP failed to force its motion on the government and the one Parliament ultimately adopted merely expressed concern at price rise and called for steps to curb it.

On corruption, the government has no problem with a debate but won’t accept a motion that goes beyond a general concern to pinpoint ministers’ culpability. Today’s motion in the Rajya Sabha on corruption, moved by the BJP’s Prakash Javadekar, named the Prime Minister and the home minister.

The Left has given notice for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha on price rise.

The government is hoping for an early breakthrough as it has found the Opposition’s attitude “flexible and not destructive”. It felt that the BJP had not made the Prime Minister’s remark about skeletons in the Opposition cupboard a prestige issue.

The Congress made light of it, saying: “What’s wrong in the PM’s remark. If they drag his name repeatedly in the 2G scandal without any evidence, the PM too would hit back.”

The Congress is not reluctant to debate the issue of corruption as its leaders feel the BJP too is on weak ground. “While the Karnataka issue is very much alive despite B.S. Yeddyurappa’s resignation, the NDA’s record in telecom is no better,” said spokesperson and MP Manish Tiwari.

“We will show them the mirror. If we go back, there is enough material to paint them black, from Tehelka to the UTI scam. We want a proper debate to place the facts before the nation.”