A government acting under extreme pressure and stern time constraints. All political parties acting against their natural disinclination to formulate a law that would act as a deterrent to their debauched ways. A 'civil society' movement that lost the plot a long time back. A popular leader who got distracted from his pithy message on corruption by talking about 'flogging' and 'slapping'. And an apathetic populace who was too busy holiday shopping. It was the recipe for a disaster. And that's exactly what the Indian parliament hurtled to in the last week of 2011. A disaster !!
I had mentioned in my previous post, "Haste if of the devil". That's where I'd like to start this time. The Anna movement generated unprecedented support in it's crusade against corruption at the beginning of 2011. They did a stupendous job of it. But once they had flagged the issue they should have been a little more patient. Threatening the government every few weeks with fasts and rallies was never going to help.
The government rather reluctantly introduced it's version. They hoped to jam it through by the stipulated deadline. The idea I believe was to put anything out there that they could term the 'Lokpal Bill'. It didn't matter how weak or ineffectual it'd be.
They were able to jam the bill through in the lower house as they had the numbers. But the sailing was not to be so smooth in RS. Congress knew they wouldn't be able to muster the votes in the RS. So they decided to filibuster. What completely beats me is why did they shy away from a vote? In a democracy it's not uncommon for a bill to be defeated in the parliament/congress. It simply means that the bill doesn't have the confidence of the house in it's current form. It should be deliberated further and could be passed with some concessions/amendments. I fail to understand why the Congress considered this vote as a referendum on their governance. I guess after the FDI debacle Congress didn't want to lose another one.
The opposition led by the BJP insisted on sitting through the night and deliberating the 180+ amendements to the bill. But their brouhaha the following day made clear their sole intention. And that was to defeat the bill in RS, claim that the government didn't have the support of the House and the confidence of the people and demand fresh elections. The Congress is definitely culpable. There is no doubt about that. But the BJP cannot be exonerated in any way either. The Indian electorate is stuck between a rock and a very very hard place.
This was a defeat for everyone. The government, the opposition, Team Anna and the People of India. An opportunity that had arrived after many decades was squandered.
I once read a cynical journalist write, "Politicians everywhere are the same. To believe that they'd think about the people before they'd think about their own good is hopelessly naive". Unfortunately our politicians vindicated his remarks.
I once read a cynical journalist write, "Politicians everywhere are the same. To believe that they'd think about the people before they'd think about their own good is hopelessly naive". Unfortunately our politicians vindicated his remarks.
