An ailing Opposition in India
The weakness comes from the leadership and from the inability to sink differences and coalesce it into a broad platform that can actually respond to the challenges of the time. They are all so busy fighting one another that they are unable to build a broad platform, even within Parliament, to challenge the government at any level.
It is, therefore, a bit of a relief for Indian democracy that in Bihar, the two erstwhile colleagues, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, have shown some signs of life. Decimated in the recent parliamentary elections in Bihar, both took little time in demonstrating that the lessons had been learnt, and forged an understanding that is slowly extending towards an alliance in the state. One indication of the goodwill was the decision by Lalu Yadav to divert the Rashtriya Janata Dal votes to get two of the Janata Dal (U) candidates elected to the Rajya Sabha. Had he not done so, the BJP would have secured these two seats as well.
There is a strong place for the Opposition in the Indian Constitution. The Leader of the Opposition enjoys a status on a par with ministers, and currently there is an ongoing battle between the Congress and the government to recognise the former’s leader as the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha. The government argument is that the Congress with its dramatically reduced mandate does not have the legitimacy to occupy the post.
The absence of leadership is palpable and the Congress party has certainly little to no support from the others in the House. There is little to no cohesion between parties in Parliament and what is particularly disheartening for a democracy that thrives on opposition, no effort to come together as well. The divisions within the opposition seem to have actually grown after the elections, with discord being reported at all levels, from the centre and the states.
With a frittering away of the 69 per cent support that the Opposition got in the polls, a bunch of leaders have left it to civil society to take the lead in all matters with little to no support from the political parties. The Congress leadership is, perhaps, the worst, as apart from speeches, there has been no movement within to come to grips with the debacle.
This approach reflects the emptiness of the Congress mind that has still not been able to understand the huge change that has taken place in India, and the direction to which its polity will be steered by politicians far more astute and capable than anything the once ruling party of the masses now has to offer.
The Left is completely lost, and in West Bengal that was its bastion for 33 years, is left firefighting for survival. The Trinamool Congress goons are attacking the Communist Party of India (CPM) cadres every single day with MP and film star Tapas Pal caught on camera, urging his supporters to rape women from CPM-supporting families. He apologised, and the matter has subsided in a country where the abuse of women from the higher echelons of political society is becoming a norm.
Democracy as an institution cannot survive without a vibrant Opposition. And it is imperative for the political parties sitting on the Opposition benches to understand this, and live up to their responsibility. Unfortunately there is little sign of this happening, but then politics in India is always unpredictable, and the turn of the corner might bring about what is not visible at the moment.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 12th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (19)
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@BlackJack:
Thank you very much for the detailed response with links. Appreciate it..
@Rakib: Can you (or any other reader here) please help me locate an authentic source (Article of Constitution/Act of Parliament/SC-Judgements/ Speaker’s Rulings/Ordinance) other than Wikipedia/Columnists to substantiate this number. The 10% rule is cited under Directions of the speaker on the Lok Sabha site. Go to loksabha.nic.in. Search within (use to search bar) for Directions by the Speaker > General Directions > Chapter IX, Rule 121(1)(c). Provided as below: Conditions for recognition: 121. In recognising a Parliamentary Party or Group the Speaker shall take into consideration the following principles:— (1) An association of members who propose to form a Parliamentary Party— (a) shall have announced at the time of the general elections a distinct ideology and programme of Parliamentary work on which they have been returned to the House; (b) shall have an organisation both inside and outside the House; and (c) shall have at least a strength equal to the quorum fixed to constitute a sitting of the House, that is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House.
@Murthy: Having heard a lot of 10% of Lok Sabha strength requirement, and very responsible men have spoken about it, I have failed to locate statutory support for it. I am missing something for sure. The Act that I read provides only for recognising " party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength ". It's silent on the percentage. Only place I found 10% being mentioned is in regard to Quorum requirements. Can you (or any other reader here) please help me locate an authentic source (Article of Constitution/Act of Parliament/SC-Judgements/ Speaker's Rulings/Ordinance) other than Wikipedia/Columnists to substantiate this number. Only for my education; not to belabour any point. Thank you.
@Murthy: truth is both Nehru and Indira ruled India like a dictator and took highly anti-indian decisions devoid of commonsense.
When the Congress party was in power with even wider majority for about three terms under Nehru, his daughter and grandson respectively, there was no LOP status given to any party for lack of a minimum of 10% of parliament's strength. But, now the Congress party raises a hue and cry about LOP status, which it had never given to the opposition party in a similar situation. It seems to think that no other party in India has the right to rule! It is funny that the party is asking for a position that it can not get by either precedence or convention.
@Rakib: Addendum: By an Act of Parliament (The Salary & Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act 1977) Leader of Opposition is defined thus Quote:-In this Act, "Leader of the Opposition", in relation to either House of Parliament, means that member of the Council of States or the House of the People, as the case may be, who is, for the time being, the Leader in that House of the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and recognised as such by the Chairman of the Council of States or the Speaker of the House of the People, as the case may be.:Unquote. Who does the Speaker recognise as Leader? Or, none at all? Will Congress defy Parliament & go to Court? That would be interesting to watch.
Precedence/tradition & not Constitutional provision determines the choice of Leader of Opposition (LO)-to the best of my knowledge. Either way Congress hasn't much of a case. Neither the Ruling combine has the grace nor the Opposition has the style to strike a new path anyway. AB Vajpayee of Jan Sangh, though not designated Leader, was better than any LO while being relentless in attacks on Nehru the PM after '62 debacle in China war. He was also the one who stood by Nehru the man in that hour of national grief & closed ranks with him on the next Republic Day. What had to be condemned had to be, what needed support was supported unstintingly. That touch of class can't be expected now. The way Congress is behaving, it's time for it to wear sackcloth & ashes & head for Himalayas. BJP is not much used to being in power & Congress is not used to being out of it. Consequently, both are now being childish on LOP issue. A dignified consensus instead of confrontation would do since LO is a very useful position for Parliament. The Columnist here should have highlighted how LOP today, unlike Nehruvian or Indira's India, is not just for "enjoying" ministerial perquisites but to discharge quite a few responsibilities on myriad committees of Parliament. It is Lok Sabha's misfortune that the Left is decimated, may be beyond recovery, & Parliament has lost the best one that there was to rein in the rabid Right, even without being Leader of Opposition..
India has an ailing opposition as opposed to Pakistan which has a wailing one...
Madam,
The opposition DID NOT get 69% of the vote. NDA got 40% vote. So the maximum opposition ote that uou can say os 60% NOT 69%. But even that is not true.There were 10% seats where no NDA candidate contested. Those votes are not NDA support but it does not mean they are opposed to NDA either.
In any case, no one has ever talked about votes, it is always seats that one goes by. And it is not as those all those 50% votes that went to parties that contested NDA have the same opinion. In UP SP and BSP are more opposed to each other than NDA. Same thing in Tamil Nadu with DMK and AIADMK. Same thing in WB with TMC nd Cpi(M). Same thing in J&K with PDP and NC. So to club all thesevotes together in one pool and call it vote against NDA is absurd.
Secondly constitution clearly lays down requirements for Leader of Opposition and no party meets that requirement at this time.
UPA was in power for 10 years. They had the opportunity to use that mandate to serve ghe people instead of which they were busy looting the treasury and too paralyzed to take any decisions. Now i is is time they were graceful aout the people's mandate insteqd of this absurd sense of enitlement that they are trying to push through blind supporters like you.
We need to stop use of the word "Opposition" and rename this to "Second Ruling Party", "Third Ruling Party", etc since the members who have come into parliament have been ACTUALLY elected by the people. Once they come to the Parliament House, they must collectively work for the development of the country. On specific issues, they must oppose while on others, all MPs may support irrespective of party affiliations. Because of the foolish name Opposition", they foolishly oppose everything which is ridiculous.
With such a fractured opposition spread across multiple political parties, ruling government will have a cakewalk unless the BJP trips over its own footstep.
Seema mustafa's bias against BJP Is evident when she writes, had Lalu not teamed up with Nitish Kumar, the BJP would have secured these two seats as well.It is not the wisdom of Lalu but sheer opportunism to grab power by using all unethical means. Lalu and Nitish were arch rival till they were decimated by BJP.Such opportunistic alliances whether in Government or in opposition is not healthy,
There have been other times when there was no leader of opposition and this was during Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi's reign. The leader of opposition is entitled to some very sweet perks. Other than that, there is no reason that the opposition cannot play its usual role without a designated leader.
You are completely wrong. BJP and Alliance(NDA) have got 40%votes. So its 60 % for opposition. Not to forget Jayalalitha, BJD who are already supporting NDA on wide range of issues.
We understand that you can even justify the corrupt lalu for sake of making him a great leader.
Leader of opposition is not demanded but its won. The voters have not given congress 10% seats. So it is not supposed to be LOP
It is refreshing to see Seema Mustafa being successful in refraining herself from spewing venom on BJP and Narendra Modi. Her track record indicated that Modi was to be blamed even for solar flares. While I agree with her observations in the article, I did notice that she failed to mention that, in the past, the Leader of Opposition has been vacant only when Congress was in (officially or unofficially) power. I do not remember any such ado made about it back then. What's different now?
Seema Mustafa has also lost with congress and rest.
"With a frittering away of the 69 per cent support that the Opposition got in the polls". If the author does not wish to completely lose her credibility completely, she needs to get her facts right.