War Intensifies: Congress and BJP in 'Eyeball to Eyeball' Confrontation

NEW DELHI: The government and the Opposition are now in an ‘eyeball to eyeball’ confrontation with no third party mediation likely, as both the BJP and the Congress party hardened positions on Tuesday. The Congress party top leadership sat on dharna in protest against the suspension of its 25 MP’s by the Lok Sabha Speaker with party president Sonia Gandhi calling it a ‘murder of democracy.” The BJP responded with a resolve endorsed by its parliamentary party not to call for the resignations of any of the Vyapam and Lalit Modi scam accused, maintaining there was no question of yielding to Opposition demands.

The Congress and supporting Opposition MP’s have also decided to boycott the joint parliamentary committee on the Land Acquisition Bill through the five day suspension till Monday. This could escalate to a boycott of parliamentary committees, although no decision has been taken as yet.

After the morning dharna, the Lok Sabha convened to empty Opposition benches. All opposition parties---with the sole exception of the Biju Janata Dal, AIADMK and TRS---did not attend the House in support of the Congress party.

Both the Congress and the BJP said they were speaking for the ‘nation.’ Both parties have decided, for the moment at least, not to back down with the Congress party finding support from most of the Opposition parties in and outside Parliament against the suspension of the MP’s. The BJP, on the other hand, has dug in its heels on the Vyapam and Lalit Modi scams refusing to take action against the Chief Ministers and the Ministers allegedly involved. As Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters, the BJP parliamentary party has instead condemned the Congress for the falsification of facts on these issues.

Sonia Gandhi spoke of the murder of democracy. Rahul Gandhi spoke of the Vypam scam in which “thousands of young people” are looking for justice; and of the “evidence” involving Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in the Lalit Modi case. He said that instead of his own ‘mann ki baat’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi should “listen to India’s mann ki baat’. Naqvi said that the BJP had rejected these accusations and that the “entire nation” was behind these leaders.

The Congress party made it clear it would not back off from its position “no discussion, no House” with leaders unanimous that dialogue and a reaching out by the government in the initial stages could have prevented this impasse. The BJP was categorical that it would not allow the Opposition to obstruct its commitment to development and growth and would with “full power” move forward.

The Congress leaders led a dharna before Parliament convened for the day. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and all party MPs joined in to protest against the suspension of 25 of their Lok Sabha members. Naqvi on the other hand said that the Speakers action was justified as it came from ‘water going over her head’ and the refusal of the Congress MPs to allow the House to proceed.

The BJP has clearly taken a decision not to talk in what could lead to its isolation, given the fact that allies like the Shiv Sena and the Akali Dal are inclined to follow their own path in Parliament and outside. The Congress that has refused to bend on the resignations issue, with the ‘murder of democracy’ being added to its arsenal now has the support of most opposition parties including the Aam Aadmi Party, CPI, CPI(M), Janata Dal (U), Rashtriya Janata Dal, NCP and others. The Biju Janata Dal and the AIADMK have decided to stay out of the controversy in their bid to chart their own course, and not ally with either the government or the opposition except on issues that concern them directly.

The Congress is clear that it will not reduce the pressure on the government to support its demands. In this it is receiving steadfast support from the Left and the Janata Dal(U). The party, in its own assessment, is of the view that the Vyapam scam where at least 26 witnesses have died in mysterious circumstances is a major issue in Madhya Pradesh with the Chief Minister and the BJP losing ground in the state. The charges against Rajasthan Chief Minister Raje on the Lalit Modi case are feeding into her larger “unpopularity” according to Congress sources in the state where she is seen as inaccessible and arrogant. Significantly, the Congress is in direct opposition to the BJP in both these states where there is no third party, and the two face each other directly in elections. It is unlikely, therefore, for the Congress party looking at a revival to let up against the BJP on these issues.