Throw the bathwater out, not the baby!

The decision of the Indian National Congress to boycott the parliament and the Prime Minister (“PM”) this budget session, over a derogatory remark made against the former P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh (“Singh”) draws attention towards its depleted arsenal and its hollow sounds of making.

The issue involved the present P.M. Mr Narendra Modi (“Modi”) taking a jibe at Dr Singh inter alia making a rhetoric that “Dr Singh knew the art of bathing while wearing a raincoat”. Of course, the taunt made at the political predecessor was uncanny and derogatory in nature. He could have used a different rhetoric to make his point. As a P.M., it is his duty to maintain the dignity of the Parliament. 

But to fulminate over the derogatory remark and boycott the parliament for the entire budget session is surely done to inflate the issue to cover up an absence. 

As the main party of the opposition, the Congress has lacked a strategy and tactic, inside parliament and outside it. The party’s recourse to the weapon of last resort in a parliamentary democracy showcases its failure to have a proportionate response to perceived provocation. In this entire facade, the Congress’s legitimate argument that the BJP government has misinformed the Parliament on the issue of demonetization and that Modi had not answered nor addressed the issues raised in the debate on the motion of thanks, has relegated and taken a backseat in its show of petulance. 

This entire facade also underlines a perturbed aspect of Modi’s prime ministership. When he had entered into parliament, he had bowed in respect, expressing his deference towards this parliamentary institution. Ever since his government has failed to uphold the said deference. The political parties have brought their uncouth belligerence to this parliament, whereas the spirit of dialogue and engagement is nowhere to be seen.