Rakesh Manchanda
Day-3 of the Loksabha`s Winter session-2011 shall be remembered for a long time. For Rajya Sabha members working overtime and also majority working as spoilt college boys and girls scared of exam preparation and its result. No rules, no time management and no vision as to when to stop the debate and when to get it extended. President of India messages got flashed that Rajya Sabha were free to extend the session as per their will. Congress, RJD and Trinamol are accused by media of Match Fixing. Mamta Banerjee`s Trinamol remains the strange partner of Government Ex-Railway Minister who remained absent in Rail Bhavan in the past. She proves again & again that whenever UPA-2 is failing she wants to project herself without any responsibility. She wants to eat the cake but does not want to brush her teeth daily and improve the collective responsibility.
RJD member Rajniti Prasad pretended to snatch the copy of Lokpal Bill from the minister and tore it before throwing it in the Well of the House. He was demanding that the Bill be withdrawn as this drama was shown by various channels last night. The floor management was shabby although on this day-3 the Dinner was pre-planned and the law making warriors were supposed to lock horns till late night after dinner. Law makers reduced the house with a shouting match having no rules and no law. Before mid-night the it was clear that like Women reservation Bill this Lokpal will be kept in a deep freeze in the chilling cold of Delhi. Noice and shouting emotions must be declared as essential for Law making and debates. In spite of planned `Haala Bol` the house witnessed few best speeches from congress, BJP and CPM.
Less people`s pressure termed as Anna factor and its flip flop splits open two facts: All Congress MPs and UPA-2 allies are exposed as who do not want Corporate, CBI & PM under Lokpal. Federal structure amendments were also discussed at length. Second- Team Anna`s potential, overconfidence and dependence on Media outside Parliament stands exposed. This less pressure outside Parliament has perhaps encouraged congress who tried to get their Weak Bill in a hurry passed that needs as many as 187 holes as amendments to be stitched. The Parliamentary Affairs minister stood with pain at midnight counting these 187 amendments and views.No voting was done on these 187 amendments as done in Lok Sabha.This was planned to protect the clear stand of the Rajya Sabha members. Government has failed seriously to rescue and deliver a strong Bill.
As the late night Results of voting on Day-1-Lokpal in Lok Sabha were pouring in, a friend had send few lines which points the Political services of our Netas as follows :
“Present day political chaos reminds me of what Sahir Ludhiyanvi wrote in 1968 for Bollywood Film Izzat.You can hear Rafi singing it at the link below. Kya Miliye Aise Logon Se, Jinki Fithrath Chupi Rahe, Nakli Chehera Saamne Aaye, Asli Surath Chupi Rahe”.
Politicians must realise that a strong People`s Pressure outside the Parliament is a must. It can help reduce the distance between the people and the Parliament and can evolve better and faster solutions. Now instead of 12 days pressure in August Sansad Session(see my article 12 days pressure published in August-2011 via google). This time Anna pressure was planned for six days(3 days of fast+3 days of Jail Bharo). Unlike OWS Movement going on in West and in Europe the Team Anna till date has failed to see a clear corporate hand behind the condition of 99 % people in India.
Anna Pressure score card on day one was a flop as put by media. People perhaps decided to remain engaged with daily work & television. Survival and combat against corruption appears to be limited to social media, internet and sms engagements. Thanks to people who did not respond to Anna call for protest visit on day-2. Doctors declared that Anna Hazare can damage his kidney if he goes forward with the fast. All this collectively forced the Team Anna to call of the fast and the subsequent Jail Bharo.
Crowds or no crowds the law makers and the elected Nagar Sevaks must keep the law making process consultative, transparent & finish it in time.Parliamentarians use noise and mob tactics inside Parliament when they decide not to deliver laws or delay laws. No Crowds turnover in Mumbai and Delhi shows that people are supreme. Team Anna failed to repeat the magic of August in Delhi now in Mumbai. People in no mood of `Protest Tourism` cannot collect in one place as and whenever asked for. What Team Anna need to analyse and understand is that that there are no `fixed rules` for common people/middle class to wake up and participate.
This three day Law Making Match should not give a clean Politician certificate to ruling Congress and UPA-2 who took advantage of No Crowd and No Pressure and rejected 187 amendments making Lok Pal weak. Instead of extending Parliament for next day they succeeded in Killing the Bill as they ran out of time, ideas and patience.If congress took pains to accept amendments in Lok Sabha why is it fielding excuses that 187 amendments could be thrashed out constructively by putting them to Vote. Rajya Sabha finally said political goodbye to India-2011singing lullaby for Lokpal to sleep.
