New Delhi: Even as the ongoing deadlock in the Parliament continued on Friday, the Central government maintained it was ready to debate all contentious issues of national concern with other political parties.
The latest stalemate in Parliament comes in the wake of the government approving 51 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the supermarket sector, paving the entry of firms such as Wal-Mart, Tesco and Carrefour into India, one of the world’s largest untapped markets.
The suggested reforms have drawn howls of protest from opposition parties as well as allies within the Congress party-led federal coalition. The issue feeds into some deep-seated nationalism of politicians, as well as fears of massive job losses among millions of small shopkeepers.
Consequently, proceedings in the 21-day winter session of the Parliament have come to a virtual standstill since it began last week.
Defending the government, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee clarified that the deadlock had not been created by the ruling coalition.
“How can I say? Logjam is not created by us. I have no answer,” Mukherjee told mediapersons in New Delhi.
The Parliament has only worked normally in one session since 2010, with opposition parties repeatedly halting proceedings to protest corruption or demand policy changes.
Almost no big reform laws have passed in more than a year.
Speaking to mediapersons, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla stressed that the government wanted the parliament to function smoothly.
“We want the Parliament to function. Business is going as usual in the Parliament, the government is ready for discussions and debates on crucial issues. There is not a single issue, which the government is not ready to discuss with other parties. So, I want the parliament to function effectively,” said Shukla.
Echoing similar views, senior Congress leader R.P.N. Singh squarely blames the opposition for the ruckus in the Parliament, and urged lawmakers to discuss the issue with the government to end the row.
“The Congress party is extremely keen and it has been repeatedly asking the opposition to take part in discussion and let Parliament run, question hour run. Any problems that they have should be discussed on the floor of the house. But, by shouting down any kind of proposal that is coming in the Lok Sabha, I think this question should be put to the opposition parties, they should allow the Parliament to function,” Singh said.
“Instead of making noises on the streets, and making their points of view across the streets and television channels, if they put the same thing on the floor of the house, the house would work and what people are elected to do would be functioning better in a better way,” he added.
According to an estimate, nearly 50,000 dollars in running expenses and lawmakers’ daily allowances is wasted for every hour of lost parliamentary time. However, the biggest cost is caused by the legislature’s failure to introduce, debate and pass bills crucial to the state and its economy.
