National.
This budget session of the Parliament may see unlikely allies uniting in the common cause of opposing the Modi government in its ambitious land acquisition move which was passed by the ordinance route which in itself was a controvertial step. Parties such as the Janata Dal (United), the AAP, and many activits and groups are teaming up to challenge the Centre on this Ordinance. These groups plan to hold protests together in the capital from February 22 to 24 when the budget session too is scheduled to begin.
For the ruling dispensation, this Ordinance was meant primarily to woo voters in Delhi during the just held elections. This is how observors viewed the hurry with which the Ordinance was mooted and passed. Now for them it is a priority to convert it into an Act in the coming budget session – but getting it through the Rajya Sabha seems impossible given the numbers. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has made a statement that he was hopeful of building a consensus on the issue as he believed in “the maturity of the Rajya Sabha” but this flattery isn’t clearly going to get the NDA what it wants as the opposition is quick to point out that Jaitley is living in a dream world – a polite way of saying fools’ paradise?
Bringing the different groups together is the Janata Dal (United). Other parties of the Janata Pariwar such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Samajwadi party and the Indian National lok dal have already signed in and implacable foes such as Trinamool Congress and Left parties seem likely to join. A resurgent AAP and its unprecedented success are no doubt inspiring the motley group to join hands. Congress, which had earlier introduced and passed the original act is opposing the amendments introduced by the Modi government.
The last nail in the coffin of any possibility of getting the Act passed is the fact that Anna Hazare, Medha Patkar and her Narmada Bachao Andolan colleagues are joining the opposition along with BJP ideologue K. Govindacharya who is opposed to any form of globalisation.
Despite BJP trouble shooters desparately trying to create a rift between Anna and Kejriwal as they seem to be drawing closer after the latter’s victory Anna has declared “I will participate in the massive movement of farmers against land acquisition Ordinance to be held on February 24th in New Delhi. He may also launch an indefinite agitation at his favourite venue the Ramlila maidan if the centre fails to withdraw the ordinance.
The unkindest cut is organisations like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh both wings of the RSS are also going to be counted with the opposition.
BJP’s attempts at fighting this fast spreading movement is trying to create power tussles and friction in the Janata Dal which will get it nowhere.
The anti Govt. mood is palpable because as they say – nothing succeeds like success. And the BJP is facing isolation – which should have been a familiar scenario by now – since misery seldom gets company!
