ENARADA, New Delhi
By Sri Krishna
The last week of the winter session of Parliament saw a very unique development that while all the parties came on board to condemn the granting of bail by a Pakistan court to Mumbai attack master mind Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi, but on the issue of conversion, opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha showed that numbers matter since the ruling BJP-led NDA does not have it.
Even as Rajya Sabha continues to be stalled over the issue of conversion or as it has been described as “Ghar Wapsi” or Home Coming. But, legal experts and others ask what is the meaning of “Ghar Wapsi” for after all what is this home coming and whether these people had strayed out of their homes and are returning.
The Congress took the initiative in drafting the resolution adopted unanimously by Lok Sabha on the Lakhvi bail issue with senior party leader Shashi Tharoor drafting the resolution and after a bit of tweaking by senior BJP leader L.K. Advani and finally the finishing touches given by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
However, the government continues to be in a bind over the issue of Insurance Bill which Rajya Sabha has to approve and also the Coal Bill is stuck and with two days to go for the winter session to end, government was apparently now looking at the ordinance route again to bring these two bills.
Even as the impasse in Rajya Sabha continued, there was feverish activity in Parliament’s Central Hall, where Congress and left leaders were seen huddling in one corner and in the other arch enemies in Uttar Pradesh SP and BSP were also seen trying to hammer out a way to end the deadlock in the Rajya Sabha.
Anand Sharma of the Congress and Sitaram Yechury were in a huddle while Ram Naresh Aggarwal of the BSP was seen discussing the developments with Ram Gopal Yadav of the SP.
Surely, where there is a will, there is a way, the old saying can surely be applied for after all the insurance bill was “baby” of the Congress and they too appear keen on getting it through.
Even as these political developments were happening, dozens of reports were tabled in Parliament considering that the winter session was nearing its end.
But, the Peshawar massacre was the hottest topic of discussion with many of the MPs feeling that what happened was a payback time for Pakistan.
As one veteran Congress leader said “as you sow, so shall you reap,” and that is what is happening in Pakistan though there was indeed sympathy for the children, but, the question being asked is “will Pakistan ever learn lessons from this and would they realise what is happening in this country and realise what happened in Mumbai on that dreadful 26/11.”
The remaining two sittings as per the schedule assumes importance as the Rajya Sabha is still to consider some crucial Bills, passed by Lok Sabha. These include : The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2014 that seeks to facilitate auction of coal blocks further to the Supreme Court striking down allocation of over 200 coal blocks, holding the allocation process arbitrary and illegal. The Upper House is also to take up the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Amendment Bill, 2014. This Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha seeks to extend the validity of an Act that gives protection to unauthorized constructions and which is to expire by the end of this month. Consideration and passing of the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, pending since 2008 in the Rajya Sabha has been held up on account of the prevailing stalemate in the House.
Even as the opposition in the Rajya Sabha where it is having a majority did not appear to be in a relenting mood, but, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stood firm that the government was extremely determined to go ahead with this (insurance sector) reform and will not allow a Parliamentary disturbance to obstruct or delay a reform of this kind.
With turn out being high in Jharkhand and in Jammu and Kashmir, the Government clearly appears buoyed.
As one leader said “whether BJP is able to get a majority or not in Jammu and Kashmir, but, it is a victory for Modi considering the huge turn out in Jammu and Kashmir which is the highest in the last 25 years.”
Posted on December 20 , 2014, 11:00pm
(Author is a Senior Journalist and his email id is srikrishna1952@gmail.com)
