Opinions may differ on whether the offer made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appear before the Parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC) was warranted or not, and whether it was constitutionally correct to make such an offer. On his part, the prime minister was right to show his willingness to be cross-examined. Equally right is Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee when he says that there is no need for the prime minister to seek the approval of a sub-committee of Parliament when, in fact, he enjoys the confidence of the elected majority of Parliament. Perhaps, the prime minister’s offer was in the nature of a peace offering to the Opposition. If so, it failed to elicit the desired response. Earlier, Mr Mukherjee’s offer of a special session of Parliament to discuss the 2G telecom issue was also rejected by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Despite several other such initiatives from the treasury benches, the parliamentary deadlock created by the adamant demand of the BJP and the Left Front for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) has the potential of creating a constitutional crisis. Both sides have come to stake their egos and are unwilling to budge. The fact, however, remains that it is the Opposition, especially the BJP, that is being churlish. No opposition party can dictate to the government of the day the actions the latter ought to take.
In the meanwhile, even as Parliament remains deadlocked, several agencies of the government are going about doing their work in identifying the wrongdoing and the wrongdoers in telecom. Investigating agencies and the courts are seized of the matter and so also the PAC. If appropriate action is taken by all concerned, what will a JPC do? Having made their demand for a JPC, the BJP and the Left must be willing to come to terms with the fact that their demand does not find the support of a majority on the floor of the lower house. If, indeed, they do believe that their view has majority support, it is incumbent upon the Opposition to prove this claim by expressing a vote of no-confidence in the government. If the government of the United Progressive Alliance loses the confidence of a majority in Parliament, the government would have to go. If, on the other hand, the government continues to enjoy the support of a majority, it must be allowed to function. The Opposition cannot and should not hold both Parliament and government to ransom. The BJP’s politics of blackmail and political disruption must end. It neither shows the BJP nor the institutions of parliamentary democracy in good light. Why have a Parliament if the minority Opposition wants the majority ruling alliance to do its bidding?
