Country loses 2.5 lakh per minute, opposition loses an opportunity

New Delhi: The winter session of parliament which began over two weeks ago has not transacted any major financial or other business excepting one so far, although each minute of running the two houses costs around Rs 2.5 lakhs.

The only major business transacted during the period was adoption of Income Tax amendment bill by the Lok Sabha. The bill is yet to be taken up by the Rajya Sabha which continues to be disrupted for one reason or the other. The two houses of parliament were adjourned again on Monday when they opened after week holidays.

The non-transaction of business besides wasting public money has denied opportunity to members to discuss major issues like demonetisation and cash-less economy that have affected the people they represent.

The loss is more in case of the opposition as the two houses are the fora where they could raise the burning issues and highlight the problems faced by the country. Comparatively, the government has suffered the loss less because it has many others avenues to highlight its points of view. Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes use of All India radio to share his thoughts.

By participating in debate on demonetisation and other such issues, the opposition could point out the government's follies , the impact of its wrongful decision on the people and earn electorate sympathy and support. Instead, it has chosen to keep away from parliament losing an opportunity to put the government on the mat.

The Congress is a major opposition party in the two houses and the main rival of the ruling BJP at the Centre. It has serious differences with the government on many issues including note-ban. The session offered a chance to make its points of view known to members and general people. The proceeding is shown live on television and viewed by a vast majority.

But instead of grabbing the opportunity it has been looking for excuses to disrupt the proceedings leading to adjournments. First, it was insisting on constitution of a joint parliamentary committee. The it pressed for Prime Minister's presence in the house when this demand was met, it began shouting for his apology.

It does not matter much for the government because if any bill is not adopted it can use the ordinance route. So the opposition cannot stop it from going ahead with its programmes and policies. The ordinances can be issued after the two houses are adjourned. Till the time the next session is called it can breathe easy.

The party seems to have also forgotten that in a democracy the parliament plays a major role. By boycotting it, the Congress and other opposition parties are providing a stick to the government to beat them. The government has already begun condemning them for creating raucous and charging them with avoiding debate. “Since they have found nothing against our recent policies including note-ban and they are aware of public support to them, they are creating noisy scenes and disruption", most of ruling party members are often heard saying.