After allowing the Modi government a free run in the ongoing budget session of Parliament, an inert Opposition is now scrambling to get its act together.
In a belated attempt to put the ruling alliance on the mat, a united Opposition has decided to move three amendments to the Finance Bill when it is put to vote in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley replies to the debate.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha last week without a murmur from the Opposition benches even though Jaitley introduced far-reaching amendments to the legislation at the last minute.
These amendments include provisions that will give sweeping powers to the income-tax department, make an Aadhar unique identity number mandatory for filing income tax returns, allow anonymous corporate donations to political parties and undermine the role of the judiciary in appointing and removing judges to various tribunals by arming the executive with these powers.
The Opposition was criticised for its failure to question the finance minister for both the contents of the amendments and the manner these were introduced in the Lok Sabha. It has since regrouped and is attempting to put up a united fight against the government in the Upper House, even though it is a mere token effort.
Opposition parties, which outnumber the ruling alliance in the Rajya Sabha, plan to support the three amendments to the Finance Bill for which Congress leader Digvijaya Singh gave notice on Monday. The amendments seek the deletion of clauses 51,52 and 53 of the legislation.
Missing the point
These provisions empower the income tax authorities to raid charitable agencies along with professionals and business houses; arm joint directors, deputy directors and assistant directors with more powers; and allow the income tax authorities to open cases without having to disclose the reasons for its actions against anybody to “any person, authority or the appellate tribunal”. Surprisingly, the Opposition has not moved against the government’s decision to make a Aadhar unique identity number mandatory for filing income tax returns though this was the chief talking point in the debate on the Finance Bill.
However, this last-minute attempt by the Opposition to embarrass the government is unlikely to worry the treasury benches as the Rajya Sabha cannot block or vote against any money bill. Even if the Upper House approves these amendments, which is unlikely, these can be rejected by the Lok Sabha, which has the final say in money matters.
The Opposition is well aware of its limitations in the Rajya Sabha but it is, nevertheless, going ahead with its plans to move amendments to the Finance Bill because it wants to send out a message that it is fighting the government on such controversial matters. “We want to correct the widespread impression that there was no resistance to the government’s decisions,” remarked Communist Party of India leader D Raja, a Rajya Sabha MP. “We know these amendments will not be accepted but that does not matter…we want to make a political point.”
Floor coordination
At the same time, the passage of the Finance Bill has revived floor coordination among the Opposition parties. They have worked in unison in earlier sessions but they lost their will to fight the Modi government after the Bharatiya Janata party’s resounding victory in the recent Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. The demoralisation in the Opposition ranks has been evident ever since the election results were declared on March 11.
Worst hit by these results, the Congress virtually withdrew into a shell and its members looked directionless, especially when party president Sonia Gandhi was away for medical treatement and vice-president Rahul Gandhi went to see her. The Trinamool Congress, which has been most vocal and visible in its Opposition to the Modi government, has been lying low after enquiries were ordered against its MPs and other party members allegedly caught in a sting operation by a television channel, allegedly accepting cash for favours. Like the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party members have also been wearing a glum look after the Uttar Pradesh result.
But the Opposition made a valiant attempt to salvage its reputation in the Rajya Sabha on Monday when the Finance Bill was debated. Congress leader Kapil Sibal and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yehcury led the attack against the government. While hitting out against specific provisions of the finance bill, the two leaders also questioned the manner in which the finance minister introduced these 40 amendments which, they said, was against all parliamentary norms. Sibal said the amendments went through without any meaningful debate in the Lok Sabha because the government has a majority in the lower house while the Finance Bill does not require the approval of the Rajya Sabha. While Sibal described the government action as “arrogance of power”, Yechury declared ominously,“This country is being reduced to a totalitarian state controlled by a master.”
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