Bridge the divide

Bridge the divide

This is a moment for cool heads to prevail and for reasoned discussion to take place in Parliament.

The ruckus over the past two days in Parliament does great disservice to the victims of last week’s Delhi riots. They include nearly 50 dead, while hundreds have lost their homes, vehicles, businesses, documents and livelihoods. The least the government and the political class as a whole can do is recognise their misfortune and agree to a frank, non-partisan introspection in the House. The government wants the debate to happen after Holi, while the opposition wants it to be privileged over other issues. Showing urgency will help Parliament emphasise its support for the victims. It will also mark an appreciation of the gravity of the carnage. But no purpose will be served if the political class remains split over what is unmistakably a tragedy. If the government owes it to the nation to be forthright about what led to the conflagration and why it could not be nipped earlier, the opposition must also change its militant tack, which is only inviting an antagonistic response from the governing party’s benches, and register its protest peaceably.

There is much work to be done in terms of relief, rehabilitation and justice delivery. This is where Parliament has an important role to play in deliberating over the violence and closing ranks against rioters and those instigating riots. Conversely, the absence of dialogue and debate in Parliament sends a wrong message to citizenry. This is a moment for cool heads to prevail and for reasoned discussion to take place. Dragging out the discord through the remainder of the budget session will hamper the government if opposition parties unite to put it on the mat.

The government has argued that holding a potentially heated debate when emotions are still running high is not wise. But it should promise to place all the facts during the debate when it is held post-Holi. It should certainly not give the impression that it is wary of a debate on pressing issues. Key legislation like the Personal Data Protection Bill, the Direct Tax Vivaad Se Vishwas Bill for resolving direct tax disputes, and the Industrial Relations Code Bill, which could redefine the role of trade unions, are pending for consideration and passage. Even governments with absolute majority need to carry along opposition parties or risk getting bogged down outside Parliament, like the Congress gover nment of 1984-89. It is not too late for the NDA government to build bridges with the opposition.