- The ongoing winter session of the Parliament is witnessing disruptions courtesy opposition parties hell-bent on rising the Pegasus spyware controversy that came to light a day before the commencement. By sticking to the one-point agenda of making the government discuss Pegasus, the opposition parties appear to be missing the bus as the strategy will only make the treasury benches happier. Why not, as the treasury benches are quite content because a largely dysfunctional House means the Union Government is shielded from anticipated cornering via presenting discomfiting scrutiny on issues of greater importance.
PC: Scroll Staff
- And there is no dearth of pressing concerns for discussion that would have provided a way out for the beleaguered citizens hard-pressed owing to pandemic-induced challenges. The successive Covid waves have rendered the entire nation miserable crying for succor that would have enabled harangued citizens to lead a dignified existence. Add to it, the vaccination drive is hardly picking up pace despite the affidavit presented by the Union Government in the Supreme Court. The month of July has barely lived up to the expectations vis-à-vis vaccination drive as the statistics show.
- These two issues viz. insufficient vaccine supplies and the depressing economic scenario alone should have provided adequate ammunition to the opposition ranks to corner the governing party. Alas! The spyware has assumed paramount importance for the opposition political leaders. Increasingly looks like a missed opportunity since the ruling dispensation is definitely feeling the heat of expectations and underperformance, but the opposition is allowing it to escape without eliciting acceptable justifications. If a common person can see what is unfolding, it is incredulous why the opposition is not thinking smartly by strategizing decisive moves targeting the BJP which is probably positioned at its politically most vulnerable stage now.
PC: Caroline Barnhill
- Note that there are serious questions raised about the Government of India’s economic revival packages benefiting the commoners and the business alike. To further buttress the assessment, the International Monetary Fund has downgraded another growth projection from double-digit to single for the financial year. Most importantly, the last round of assembly elections has proved beyond doubt that the BJP can be comfortably stymied by diminishing the perceptions of infallibility as well. No wonder, the BJP’s electoral vulnerability has increased of late. It is noticeable how the government is making one blunder after another.
- Nationwide outrage was triggered when the Junior Health Minister’s reply on oxygen-scarcity-related deaths to a question in the House. Also, three different vaccine production numbers should have ensured opposition pouncing on the ministry for the incohesive presentation of facts. Nothing of this happened. Of course, Pegasus is an issue that entails a response from the government clarifying unambiguously whether snooping is officially sanctioned or otherwise. In the absence of tricky, relevant, and hard to ignore questions, the BJP will be happy to pass legislation it wants in short periods of time the House works conveniently avoiding answering questions on the worst debacle in decades. Expect better from the Opposition ranks!
