People's Democracy

AFTER a three-week recess, the second phase of budget session began on April 15 when both the houses plunged into turmoil on the issue of Gujarat. In both houses, a furious opposition did not allow any business and demanded action against the Gujarat government. It said the unbridled state-sponsored carnage going on against a minority community amounted to a breakdown of the constitution. The opposition wanted a discussion in Lok Sabha under Rule 184 and in Rajya Sabha under Rule 170. Both entail voting at the end of a discussion.

Both the houses faced a deadlock on the issue. The houses were adjourned on every day minutes after they met. As the government was unwilling to have a voting, the deadlock continued for six days. It ended on April 23 after the Lok Sabha deputy speaker P M Sayeed and Rajya Sabha chairman Krishan Kant admitted the opposition-sponsored motions.

While admitting the notices of a Short Duration Discussion under Rule 184 from a large number of members, Sayeed said Gujarat situation was indeed a matter of "general public interest" within the meaning of Rule 184. The National Human Rights Commission, the Minorities Commission and women activists of national repute who have visited the state have commented on the gravity of the situation there. The army has been called in to aid the civil authority, and its deployment continues. In the event, the Gujarat situation cannot be construed as an ordinary law and order matter of concern to the state government only. The deputy speaker reminded all members of the house that according to article 355 of the constitution it is the duty of the union to protect every state against internal disturbances and ensure that governance in every state is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. "In the circumstances, I admit the notices of motion under Rule 184," he said. The discussion on the censure motion under Rule 184 eventually took place on April 30.

On the day, the opposition made a special mention expressing concern over the ongoing deep-rooted conspiracy to disintegrate the society in Gujarat. Referring to a newspaper report, they said the English paper set for Class 12 examination in Gujarat gave Nazi solutions. One of the questions asked was: "If you don’t like people, kill them" (Remove ‘if’). Another was about joining the following sentences: "There are two solutions. One of them is the Nazi solution. If you do not like people, kill them, segregate them. Then strut up and down. Proclaim that you are the salt of the earth." This is the way attempts are on to brainwash the Gujarat students, they alleged.

Lok Sabha passed the rail budget this week. The CPI(M)’s Basudeb Acharya and Lakshman Seth joined the debate. Acharya sharply attacked the government for its dismal financial as well as physical performance in the last two years. The main reason is that instead of hiking the allocation, it has been reduced. The capacity of the railways can be further increased by doubling the lines. But here too the allocation has been reduced. The share of railways in freight traffic has come down to only 25 per cent from 80 per cent in 1950-51. The same with the passenger traffic. During the past 54 years, there is an addition of only 9,000 km of rail line. The life span of some of the rolling stock is over and it needs to be replaced. Many rail lines are overaged and stand in the need of immediate replacement. In all areas of their functioning, the railways are unable to achieve the targets fixed for the ninth plan. Also, not solving the basic problems of safety, the government is playing with the lives of passengers, Acharya alleged.

Reminding that the Railway Reforms Committee has presented 16 volumes of its report, Acharya said its recommendations are not yet implemented. A Safety Review Committee was set up recently and made a number of recommendations. But to implement its recommendations, a meagre fund of only Rs 17 crore was created. The joke of the year is that it was declared as the "Passenger Amenities Year" but there was no increase in the number of trains or rail lines and no improvement in the signals system. At the end, Acharya demanded more MEMU trains and introduction of long and short distance EMUs in Adra division.

Lakshman Seth said Haldia is emerging as a leading industrial city and needs various train services. He demanded re-introduction of Adar Express from Howrah to Haldia and commission of Tamluk-Digha railway line. He also demanded halt of various express trains at Mechada and completion of work for doubling the Panskura-Haldia line.

In Rajya Sabha, during the debate on rail budget, Prasanta Chatterjee, CPI(M), told about the people’s hardship due to lack of a passenger train between Mainaguri and Jogidobhan, for which an agitation is going on. With the lack of enough trains, the problems of commuters, office-goers, women and students are increasing. He demanded fulfilment of the promise to construct a station at Tangra, set up a reservation-cum-booking office in the southern part of Calcutta, and over-bridges to avoid accidents.

This budget session discussed the demand for grants for agriculture only. The discussion on demands for grants for other ministries and departments was guillotined. Then the finance bill was taken up directly on April 26. But there could not take place a full-fledged discussions on the finance bill due to lack of quorum in Lok Sabha. These unusual developments do not augur well for a parliamentary democracy.

During the debate on agriculture, the CPI(M)’s Mahboob Zahidi and N N Krishnadas demanded more allocation for agriculture. Zahidi said agriculture contributes 26.8 per cent of GDP but gets in return a very small amount. The peasants’ condition is deplorable and suicide cases are on an increase. The FCI is not coming forward to purchase their produce. Zahidi also referred to Bt Cotton seeds that have destroyed the crop. Animal husbandry is very important for the poor in rural India, but the government pays least attention to this area. Zahidi also touched upon the new diseases being diagnosed in animals, the decline in food processing industry, and the removal of quantitative restrictions that is ruining our farmers. Now the government is opening the doors in the field of science too. It is likely to cause havoc, he warned.

Krishnadas said the irony is that the number of starvation deaths is going up when there is a huge stock of foodgrains. Farmers are committing suicide precisely when the rulers are talking about a third revolution of agricultural diversification and food processing, the freedom of farmers, and what not. After the presentation of the budget, the government said it was going to increase the import duties. But it did not. When the WTO allows imposition of import duty up to 300 per cent, why is the government not availing of that opportunity, he asked.

Coming to Kerala, his home state, Krishnadas said the farming community there was on a one-day strike against the union government’s apathy. One and a half years back the prime minister had declared a package for Kerala. Nothing has so far come out. The CPI(M) member demanded timely declaration of the minimum support prices for copra and other cash crops, and recognition to rubber as agricultural produce, saying the central government must take up this matter with the WTO.

During the discussion on finance bill, the CPI(M)’s Tarit Baran Topdar sharply accused the ruling parties and the government of hiding the fact of a crisis in the economy by creating social tensions in the country. When every section of the people is seriously affected by the pro-rich policies of the government, they are indulging in diversionary tactics. Indian industries are reeling under a severe crisis. There has been a deceleration in the growth rate in power, steel, oil refining, etc. Overall, the growth rate of manufacturing sector has come down. Each revenue-raising measure announced in the budget imposed more burdens on the people, while giving concessions to the capitalists and big landlords. This has systematically been done for the last few years in the name of "first generation reforms" and now they are talking of "second generation reforms." The budget has no check on some of the dubious NRI investments. Added to this is a fact of great concern that 50 more items have been de-reserved and thus taken away from the small-scale sector, further marginalising this sector in favour of monopoly houses and multinationals. While imposing direct and indirect taxes on the people, the government is not inclined to take steps against such capitalists as have swallowed people’s money amounting to more than Rs 1,00,000 crore from nationalised banks. The CPI(M) member demanded rollback of the budget proposal of direct taxes on salaried sections and indirect taxes affecting the common people. He demanded imposition of tax on corporate sector and punishment for tax evaders also.