Nuclear Deal and Indian Parliament

At last the proposed controversial nuclear deal between India and America got the green signal from the Indian parliament. In the 543 member house, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Indian National congress got 275 votes whereas the trust vote was opposed by 256 members.

The senior leader of the UPA government had been making the claim with full confidence that the trust vote to be presented by government on July 22 would be won by the government. But the common people were unable to digest the claims of the leaders favoring the central Government.

The reason was that the 59 left party members who constituted the UPA government had withdrawn their support, so Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to bring a trust vote in the Lok Sabha in favor of his government.

Indian Parliament inside view
Indian Parliament inside view

The hot and controversial debate that followed this trust vote resulted in bringing out some new faces of leaders and political parties. During this debate, the politics based on principles in favor and against the trust vote came to the forefront but at the same time cunning, artful and skilful politics was also seen. Some parliamentarians were charged with being sold and purchased while others were sorry to be away in opposition from the ruling association for four and half years.

The main constituents of the ruling association, Congress party, especially Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had made the Indo-US nuclear deal a question of prestige. So, without caring for the fall of government Prime Minister Manmohan Singh placed this trust vote in the parliament. On the other side, the left parties too, stuck strongly to their issue. The Indo-US nuclear deal was opposed by the left parties since the beginning.

outside view of Indian Parliament
outside view of Indian Parliament

The left parties gave their support from outside to the UPA government and tried their best to make it so the Lok-Sabha elections should be after the fixed time so that the public already suffering from inflation may not face the burden of untimely elections. At the same time, Bhartiya Janta, the second largest party had to bear an insult during the period of the trust vote while the Indo-US nuclear deal was in process through the Indian parliament.

It is noteworthy that after the organization of UPA government for the first time, the ruling party showed its inclination towards the proposed deal, the logical polarization in the ruling parties was clear, and divided into two.

The left parties that had been opposing the American policies at almost every level had clearly stated their views that they would not stand with the government in favor of this nuclear deal. Sticking to their statements, the left parties not only withdrew their support from the government but also voted against the proposed trust vote by the Prime Minister. But Bhartiya Janta party showed its double role in this issue from time to time.

During the resolution of the nuclear deal, BJP was seen favoring it initially. At that time, many senior leaders of BJP stated that BJP would favor this deal when the time came. But as the deal progressed, the central government was in trouble, and the BJP was the first to oppose the trust vote.

The public suspect that the motive of the BJP was not to see whether the nuclear deal is passed by the parliament, but to defeat the UPA government in the trust vote and to create the environment for a midterm poll.

In this way they expected to put the Prime Minister’s crown on Lal Krishan Advanis’ head. He had been in line for a long time, as BJP’s Prime Minister in waiting. But all the fair and foul policies of BJP failed. The BJP could not strongly hold its 8 members in its favor. Some of them favored the trust vote and some abstained. At the end, BJP is said to have played a game that was unique in the history of te Indian parliament.

Just before putting the trust vote, the BJP parliamentarians tried to show the bundles of the currency notes that allegedly they have been paid by the congress party as a bribe to vote in favor of the trust vote or to abstain from voting. Now another question has risen before the Bhartiya Janta party.

Even with sensitive, high level and ultra-modern security, how did such big bags full of currency notes reach the parliament? How were the parliamentary guards deceived by these people who brought these big bags of currency notes inside the house. The victory of the ruling party forced BJP to terminate the party membership of these disobedient members. There is also news of wrong handling at the houses of these BJP parliamentarians by BJP workers.

In the end, on the issue of Indo-US nuclear deal, the UPA government felt compelled to bring the trust vote and the parliament speaker was suspended for not obeying the party high command whereas many political parties stuck to their principles, rules and policies. Although the congress did not care about the fall of its government, the Samajvadi party finished the possibility of mid-term poll by giving its support to the UPA government. The Bahujan Samaj party leader, Mayawati tried to make good use of the two quarrelling parties and BJP made it clear that it would have nothing to do with the nuclear deal; its only motive was to take the country to a mid-term poll.

It is hoped that the LokSabha election would be at its fixed time and Indian voters would be able to differentiate and sort out good among the parties, considering the principles of destructive and constructive politics.