Going by how the monsoon session of Parliament kicked off, India may be in for yet another season of stormy protests and adjournments. Monday’s proceedings offered a fore-taste, with little legislative work done.
Several bills are expected to be taken up for discussion during the session. These include a bill to amend foreign contribution regulations, one to replace an ordinance that gave foreign institutional investors a new tax exemption, another to increase the number of Supreme Court judges, and also a bill to make disruption during the singing of the national song punishable.
Some of these seem likely to attract opposition scrutiny, although its decibel levels may be driven by hot-button issues such as recent exam paper leaks, ethanol blending, electoral roll revisions and temple donation theft allegations.
That said, the ruling benches in Parliament have gained strength after a string of defections to the coalition in power at the Centre. This has given the government more legislative heft, although a two-thirds majority that could help pass Constitutional amendments still eludes it.
All that’s assured is confrontation. What India needs are debates that generate more light than heat.