Will the opposition parties be able to make an impact in the Monsoon Session that begins on Monday? Especially in the light of the ammunition that has been provided by the Ayodhya Ram Temple offerings theft and NEET issues. If the proceedings in the respective houses descend to the usual chaos and drama, the government will be able to get away without being cornered on the matter. As such, the opposition leaders, particularly Rahul Gandhi, would be wise not to fall into the government’s usual traps. Uproar may be a workable tactic if there is not much substance in the opposition’s cause, but when solid material is available, a proper, undisturbed debate is required.
The opposition will be tempted to obstruct functioning as important bills are to be presented again in Parliament, such as the ones on Delimitation and Women’s Reservation. The Government has worked hard by bringing into its fold MPs from AAP and the TMC, as well as draw support from other quarters for its cause. There are also other important bills on Income Tax and MSME reforms that require passage. If there are the usual walkouts, it will find it easy to get its way.
There has already been drama in the all-party meet convened by the government on Sunday with a walkout held to protest the presence of Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) members. This is not a very clever strategy. There were other important issues to discuss, but these were ignored for the sake of what is already a lost cause. The TMC is not going to get its members back – that is certain.
While the Ayodhya Temple issue is a good one to embarrass the government, from the point of view of the nation’s future, delimitation and women’s reservation are far more important. In that regard, there is already much speculation on what may happen – ranging from the DMK being willing to arrive at a compromise, to another suggestion that the matter be postponed for 25 years. It seems that those who swear by the Constitution on a daily basis are not willing to provide equality to Indian citizens regarding the value of their votes. This is social discrimination being exercised in a new way. It is certain that the government will use this as a strong counter to whatever approach the opposition may adopt. Symbolism will not be enough – a proper strategy is needed if something worthwhile is to come out of the Monsoon Session.
