Now that the shadowboxing over foreign investment in organised retail is behind it, the Lok Sabha should swiftly move on to substantive legislation awaiting its attention.
The debate in Parliament revealed the insincere nature of the Opposition's objections. The Left, of course, was dead serious, never mind that it has been dead wrong on the subject of the viability of the modern world since the early sixties.
The debate in Parliament revealed the insincere nature of the Opposition's objections. The Left, of course, was dead serious, never mind that it has been dead wrong on the subject of the viability of the modern world since the early sixties.
Consistency in being proved wrong has only strengthened their resolve to consistently make the wrong call on economic policy. That, however, is their funeral. For the BJP, which had originally prepared the blueprint to open up organised retail to FDI, its entire opposition today is pure expedience.
As its speakers spouted data after wrong data on the damage supposedly wrought by foreign companies already present in the country, such as McDonald's importing potatoes, they exposed their lack of seriousness and sincerity on the subject.
Mayawati's real demand was on quotas in promotions. Mulayam's aim was to block this. The Trinamool's only goal was to out-Left the Left while turning on its former ally that had the temerity to call Didi's bluff.
Does anyone seriously challenge the notion that foreign capital and expertise can only add to India's economic welfare, not take away from it? Now that these shenanigans are over and the government has decisively demonstrated its political management skills, which turn out to be as effective, at least, as they were when veteran Pranab Mukherjee was around, will the Opposition kindly allow the House to function, and pass the laws that the economy needs to keep growing in a world forever teetering on the verge of crisis? Obstruction for the sake of obstruction is passe.
Instead of indulging in self-congratulatory triumphalism, the government should make it easy for the Opposition to swallow its bitter pill and cooperate in passing laws.