The early part of the 2nd year in Modi government has gotten enough attention to the controversy on Sushma Swaraj and the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh. The scam in Madhya Pradesh is undoubtedly one of those that needs a thorough investigation and thanks to an active media (TV, facebook, twitter, internet) that CBI is now investigating the matter. The PM is not connected to the scam. At the same time the one that involves Sushma Swaraj is that of impropriety. The government should investigate and let Swaraj come clean.
The real casualty of this matter is the Parliament session and the important bills that need to get passed in order to uplift the infrastructure scenario in the country. The Land Acquisition bill which the government thought of getting it passed has not happened. It tried all its means in a constitutional manner but it simply doesn't seem to work out. A joint parliament session is ruled out because the bill has to be defeated in one of the houses. The Congress party clearly has not allowed the bill to even be tabled in the Parliament for it to be defeated. The regional parties and some of BJP's own allies don't want the bill to be passed. It is so clear that many reformist bills will get struck in Rajya Sabha simply because the ruling party doesn't have the numbers and the support of Rajya Sabha is important for several of these bills.
No matter how one dissects the land bill that the government wants to pursue the existing land bill (passed by the UPA govt in 2013) has thrown a spanner in the wheels of infrastructure. Companies want to invest in roads and railways but cannot acquire land easily. The Prime Minister wants to create an atmosphere of jobs and a boom in manufacturing must happen. To have this happen the companies need infrastructure. Further, the surge in labor market and engineers can be created only when road construction picks up pace. Land is required for all of these. Despite its best intentions the government truly doesn't have numbers in the current scenario of the Parliament.
The scenario is grim because a trap has been laid for the government by the weakened opposition that is weakening a strong Prime Minister like Modi. The PM has been caught in a deadlock where he cannot easily escape. It is such an irony that with just 44 members or less than 1/10th of Parliament strength the Congress party has been able to stall the Parliament and the country. It is also an irony that even with a majority in the Lok Sabha the ruling government is finding it tough to get several legislations passed.
It is aptly clear that Congress wants to take revenge for what BJP did when it was in Opposition. The game may be fair but not the timing.
The government last week suddenly made a U turn on the land bill and is now withdrawing its original version and is indeed bringing back an amended version that is similar to the act passed in 2013. By making a U-turn on the land bill it clearly has upset its own plans and the industry at large.
The question therefore is this - Has the PM accepted defeat or is this a tactical retreat? My own analysis and instinct says that the PM has decided to retreat at the moment. The wind is not is in his favor and he has decided to choose the battleground for another time. The PM has to blame himself for this. He did not use his art of communication to reach out to the farmers and explain what he intends to do with the modified land bill and how it will help them. With no official communication the opposition led by the Congress has created a fear in the minds of farmers that the land acquisition bill is a death knell to farmers. With his own fault at play the PM knows the time is not ripe to correct it. Hence, he is single mindedly focused on getting Goods and Services Tax Bill (GST) passed where several regional parties have agreed to it. There is another calculation to the retreat. The government needs numbers in Rajya Sabha and only winning Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP) elections will solve the matter. By allowing the bill to be withdrawn the government wants to weaken the Congress party's slogan that Modi's government is "suit boot ki sarkar".
Next year when the elections in Rajya Sabha are held BJP will gain strength and with its new strength it may be able to overcome Congress. Does this mean that the government will not do anything until then? Does that mean the government will not use its majority in Lok Sabha to pass other bills where the Rajya Sabha's approval is not required?
These questions only the PM can answer. It definitely appears that the PM is not in a mood to allow the quick pace of industrialization which the industry wants and at the same time he doesn't want to lose an opportunity where his socialist policies can touch the hearts of the poor and the underprivileged. It appears that he has some calculation in mind which may backfire given the current scenario.
Recently, Rahul Bajaj said this statement - "This is not Narendra Modi's government" (source). It is true in many senses. The government should have gone at an aggressive pace to create an ambience and tax environment where businesses can flourish.
In politics it is always said that nothing is constant. At this time the image the government wants to create is that of a defeat but in reality it is a tactical retreat on the matter of Land Acquisition bill.
In politics it is always said that nothing is constant. At this time the image the government wants to create is that of a defeat but in reality it is a tactical retreat on the matter of Land Acquisition bill.
