Why is lobbying such a controversial word in India? And why has it acquired the same connotations as bribery? In his last interview as the president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, R V Kanoria talks to Shaikh Zoaib Saleem about the perception of lobbying in India. The practice, he says, applies to what is collectively good and not individually good.
We have a kind of dislike for the word lobbying. How do you look at this situation?
Unfortunately, the atmosphere has become so vitiated that we tend to look at everything suspiciously. And that is because too much has happened to create that mindset. I would say that lobbying is actually akin to advocacy, and even advocacy is called lobbying. At the end of the day, if you believe in something and you feel you are right, then you lobby for that to happen. It does not mean that you lobby in the wrong sense, with corruption or bribe. So, we should not confuse lobbying with corruption.
True, lobbying is really advocacy and building consensus. Because there are many thoughts that are not necessarily in the public domain and sometimes you need consensus to allow an idea to set in and then for that idea to mature — you again need lobbying. In order to build a consensus you might do a seminar, invite people over dinner, pay for a study done by an expert organisation or an individual. There can be so many aspects to ultimately build consensus, which are genuine in nature.
But are grey areas and a darker side to lobbying as well…
No, that is bribery, and not lobbying. Lobbying is a more generic term and not very specific. It applies to what is collectively good and not individually good.
Is it time that lobbying be brought overground in India?
Why is it underground in India? It has developed such a connotation because it coincided with a situation where there is already a negative public opinion. In the case of Walmart, it is just the timing of the disclosure because there is already a negative sentiment about FDI in retail.
Had this same episode happened at a time when things were positive, then no one would have even attached the word corruption to lobbying.
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Should it be recognised and institutionalised?
We should not rush to adopt any model without understanding the ramifications and implications of what we are doing. What I think we really need is electoral reforms. There are two parts of this process. Parliamentary democracy per se is a desirable model. But, whether we should have multiplicity of parties at the Central level, is a question that I ask because it creates a dichotomous situation. There may be state parties, but at the national level there has to be a size and a national identity to be part of the national government.
The parties within themselves will have to develop a transparent and fair electoral process. This can be debated in many ways. What is required is lobbying to create a debate on the subject.
Post-1991, how has the situation changed in creating consensus with the government for the industry?
Today the dialogue with the government is much simpler and smoother. The direction we are talking about is actually opening up the country. On industry issues as well, groups within the industry may differ on an issue. But ultimately our objective is to make India competitive, business-friendly and create inclusive growth.
Has the experience of the Indian industry been different on lobbying in India and other countries?
Each country has its own ways of lobbying as each has different structures of power. So the decision-makers are either diffused or concentrated. Wherever they are more concentrated, there are more chances of corruption. And wherever decision-making is diffused and dispersed, the chances of corruption are less.
Do you consider Ficci as a lobby group?
Of course, we are all into advocacy for industry. It is not a be-all and end-all of our activities but a very important part of our activities. We also have platforms for educating industry, their internal interactions etc. For example, even for skill development there was lobbying to bring the issue to the fore. So, even something that is glaringly obvious is not seen. Lobbying does nothing but create greater awareness.