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BJP’s dictatorial tactics won’t cut much ice

The BJP insists that it is right and everybody else is wrong on the coal bloc allocation issue. In his article ‘A flawed reasoning’ (August 29), BG Verghese is correct in calling the BJP’s logic as fascist. The BJP leadership has failed to note that they have been unable to convince even NDA partners on the issue. JDU and even its most trusted ally, SAD, are on record saying that they prefer debate over Coalgate in Parliament.

What is Parliament for? All the laws which are enacted are supposed to be debated here before passing them. But Parliament has akin to a typical fish market where every body is shouting but no one is listening! BJP was guilty of disrupting Parliament even during winter session and now once again they are at their old game. If BJP stalwarts can hop from one TV channel to another to discuss ‘Coalgate’, what stops them from doing so in the Parliament? It is ironical that leaders of all political parties are discussing the issue on forums like TV channels, but are shunning it inside Parliament for which they were chosen and are duty bound to do.

ARUN HASTIR, Babehali

II

The obstructionism is mere subversion and it is contemptuous of parliamentary democracy. Declining to debate and demanding PM’s resignation and cancellation of 142 coal block allocations, as a pre-requisite to discuss the issue in the House is a fascist approach.

It does not behove a regional political party like Shromani Akali Dal (SAD) to repeatedly vacillate from its position on issues like nuclear deal, FDI and currently on the issue of first being in favour of debate and then to go along with BJP to continue to logjam in Parliament over the Coalgate controversy.

The role, powers and jurisdiction of the CAG is defined in the Constitution. Public Accounts Committee is mandated to scrutinise the CAG report. It is not advisable to debouch an established procedure and process.

Since the Opposition’s posturing is unyielding, presiding officers of the respective Houses must assert. Should the MPs not yield, they should be ordered to leave the House or even be suspended for a limited period from the House to maintain decorum in Parliament. It has become necessary to put an end to boisterous protests leading to frequent forced adjournments of Parliament. Some method needs to be evolved.

Lt-Col BACHITTAR SINGH (retd), Mohali

Palampur as district

As a sitting MLA, I had raised the issue regarding the creation of Palampur district vide question number 692 in the HP Vidhan Sabha in December last year. The government had categorically replied in the negative. Some vested interests have been creating confusion in the minds of the people regarding my stand on the issue. I have never opposed the creation of separate Palampur district.

PRAVEEN KUMAR, MLA, Palampur

National resource

There is a strong case for nationalisation of rivers without any ifs and buts (Editorial “Monsoon misery” and Prof Sucha Singh Gill’s article “Water policies remain on paper”, August 29). To do justice with the associated problems of water, we need to bring it in the Concurrent List if not the Central List. Rain harvesting can no longer be ignored.

Let the national water policy not remain a paper tiger without teeth to regulate water supply. It needs to be made capable of handling droughts and floods with management skills and suitable pricing policy which is the need of the day. Let us learn to share water as a national resource. The objective of inclusive growth which means to include the excluded, care of the less cared and use of the less used can be a distant dream for want of action-oriented activity.

Dr MM GOEL, Kurukshetra

II

Sucha Singh Gill’s OPED article ‘Water policies remain on paper’ has raised questions on the utility of the government. If every department implements policies against the other, the cumulative effect will be zero. What is the purpose of the government if it cannot synchronise different policies of the myriad departments? It seems there is no substantial self- dependent entity we call the government. If policies related to agriculture, energy and industry are contrary to the National Water Policy, the onus lies on the government to take an effective decision in favor of the people.

SURINDER SINGH, Hoshiarpur