'LEFT sometimes shows double standards'

DEMOCRACY AT WORK/ Q&A - Priyaranjan Dasmunshi

Parliamentary Affairs and I&B Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi talks to Aditi Phadnis about the challenges the government faces

Why does Parliament do no work? This is an exaggeration and the creation of the media. Please tell me which media sits here after 5 pm to observe what we do here ? Up to 1 pm, if there is some shouting or voting on some sensitive Bill, the media flashes the news immediately. But do reporters know about the number of issues we have debated in the House after 4 pm? The 14th Lok Sabha has devoted MPs who sit till 9 pm to bring issues to the fore. This side of Parliament is not known to the people of India. This session of Parliament sat for 20 days. Three or four days were disrupted by the Opposition, for right or wrong reasons. But on several days, we sat till 9 or 10 pm, which you people did not cover at all.

Parliament's job is to make laws. And all you have done in this session is pass two Bills.

This session was more about Calling Attention Motions on matters of urgent public importance. There has been one important adjournment motion on the internal security issue, discussions on price rise, bidi workers, mining, Employment Guarantee Act, and other issues that have a direct bearing on the life and condition of the people of India. As it was a short session, two Bills have also been passed which are not insignificant. The Child Marriage Act is an important piece of legislation. Also, the Tribal Bill. It has not been an empty House convening for a handful of shouting members.

The Pension Fund Regulatory Authority Act and the Banking Regulation Act are yet to be discussed, though they have been pending for months.

We are a coalition government and we need to carry all our allies with us. On both these issues, we are yet to arrive at a consensus. I will give you another example. On the (Women's) Reservation Bill, there was a view that we should introduce the Bill and refer it to a standing committee. Another view was that we should debate the Bill and settle it in the House. Since the collective consensus in the matter has not evolved, we will take it up in the budget session, which is a longer session.

Talking about coalition, there is a view that the Left parties pick you up, throw you down and wipe the floor with you and you can do nothing about it. Take the Tribal Rights Bill. Your government had a certain view, but it was the Left version that was finally adopted, comma and full stop?

The Tribal Bill went to a joint parliamentary committee, whose 92 per cent of the recommendations were accepted by the government. Only one or two suggestions made by the Left "" like the issue of Gram Sabhas "" were incorporated later.

As a Congressman, don't you think you have to repeatedly compromise your self respect because you have to act on the diktat of the Left parties to keep your government intact. On the Indo-US Civil Nuclear deal, your government has been warned by the Left parties "" suspend negotiations with the US, otherwise, we will dump you.

I don't see any compromise. What self respect? The prime minister made a commitment on July 18. He defended his commitment in Parliament. He did not budge an inch. Parties have a right to express their views. But the situation has not yet arisen where they (the Left) have to go against the government. The most important part of the agreement is being negotiated. When we sign (the 1-2-3 agreement), and if there is any departure from the government's stated position, they (the Left parties) may raise the issue.

The Chinese Ambassador makes controversial statements about areas in Indian territory. But the government does not contest them because the Left parties don't want it to.

There was a dispute even during the NDA regime. They appointed a special envoy to debate the issue. The position remains the same.

Does the Congress oppose what is happening in Singur?

Yes, I took a rally on September 11. Our stand is that there are other sites that the Tatas could have been persuaded to take. This is agricultural land. We cannot dream of being party to the kind of harassment that agricultural workers there have been subjected to. We are not opposed to industrialization or the Tatas.

But your party is in government elsewhere in India and is doing the same thing: giving agricultural land at a pittance to industry, whether it is Punjab or Haryana or Andhra Pradesh.

Tell me one instance of our government having used force against farmers to acquire their land?

If your position, Mamata Bannerjee's position and the BJP's positions on this are identical, why not put up a joint front against atrocities of the Left?

Only Mamata can explain her position. I cannot answer for her.

Give me one example of the Left being a supportive ally

(Thinks) They supported us on NREGP

But no one opposed you on NREGP.

They are not obstructionist. I would not call them obstructionists. They are a political party. They have an ideology. They have a long history of a trade union movement. I could say that they sometimes show double standards. For instance, they say, don't disinvest, but the Left Front government in West Bengal has itself disinvested in the Great Eastern Hotel.

Could we talk about football? India last won a medal at the Asiad in 1970. Since then it has been all downhill

India has just quit amateur football and turned professional. We are on top in Asia among amateurs. But after turning professional, we have to contend against Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea and China. We have just started semi-professional training. By 2009, I am hopeful we will be able to take on countries like South Korea.