N-bill shows legislation route for Centre

NEW DELHI: The passage of the Civil Nuclear Liability Bill marked an important shift in the functioning of Parliament, as both Congress and the principal Opposition, BJP, showed that they can work across the aisle and achieve legislative solutions. The development must be comforting for the government as it comes at a time when the government is searching for a way to get important legislations such as the one on GST out of the lockup.

The nuclear liability bill, which got Parliament’s assent on Monday, should be a way forward for the government when it takes up other contentious issues.

The liability bill’s success was made possible largely on account of the government’s willingness to accommodate the concerns of the Opposition, not by making compromises, but by putting forward measures that made the legislation more robust.

Unlike his colleagues in the government, who convert every legislation as an occasion for a spectacular fight with the Opposition, science and technology minister Prithivraj Chavan attempted to bridge the fierce partisan divide. Barring BSP, which uses such moves to cut deals with the government, Mr Chavan had held extensive discussions with parties in the Opposition.

What also made things easy for the bill was the government’s willingness to contain the role of lobbyists in the business clubs who have been purveying phoney arguments like “acceptance of Opposition’s demands would scare away the investor to shield the supplier from the ambit of liability in the event of a nuclear accident.

Leaders like Arun Jaitley who played a constructive role came on board when the government accepted their demand to uphold the “polluter pays” principle. It be recalled that the bill nearly got pushed off the rails when the government tried to provide an escape route without the consent of the Opposition.

Government leaders admitted that conduct of legislative business could be smooth if the government makes a serious effort to work out bipartisanship. “It is not compromising with the Opposition. It is all about hearing out opinions from different sides of the aisle and identifying the best ideas regardless of their origin,” said a leader. He cited the Enemy Property Bill to emphasise his point. “We should have treated the issue on merit.

We should have come out with a comprehensive bill, not one that is aimed at helping the Raja of Mehmoodabad,” he said. This assessment is not off the mark. The Opposition’s tough stand is prompted by the lobbying by a section of MPs in favour of the Raja.