Rahul produces a new rabbit - but is it Seshan's animal?

Parallel lines, they say, meet only at infinity. By a strange coincidence, PM-in-waiting Rahul Gandhi and former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan both ended up making the same suggestion on the Lokpal debate. Speaking during zero-hour in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Gandhi said that better than a Lokpal or a Jan Lokpal would be an autonomous Lokpal with constitutional powers just like the Election Commission (EC). Said the Gandhi scion: “Why not elevate the debate and fortify the Lokpal by making it a constitutional body accountable to Parliament like the Election Commission of India? I feel the time has come for us to seriously consider this idea.” (See full text) Coincidentally, Seshan—the man who cleaned up the election system during his tenure from 1990-96 when he was CEC—bobbed up from nowhere to say that he had already crossed the T’s and dotted the I’s for exactly such a bill. [caption id=“attachment_70710” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Former Indian election chief T N Seshan. Reuters”]  [/caption] Speaking to Times Now, he said a group of experts under him had formulated such a bill, and it was ready for introduction “tomorrow morning at 11 am in Parliament.” Were Rahul and Seshan in cahoots or is it one of those unexplainable coincidences? Seshan said he had never met, nor had he even spoken to, Rahul Gandhi. But he said he had given a copy of the draft Bill to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who has been playing mediator between Team Anna and the government to resolve the impasse. Seshan also said that his bill was “absolutely parallel” to the ideas mentioned by Rahul Gandhi in his Parliament speech. Sri Sri, however, seemed unhappy with the Rahul’s speech. He said the Seshan draft was for the long term, and the Congress should pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. Talking about constitutional amendments was like giving a hungry man a mango seed when the tree would yield fruit only after several years. Rahul Gandhi, however, claimed his proposal for setting up a constitutional Lokpal like the Election Commission would be a “game-changer”. But more important than his message was the tone of his message. For one, his old Sachin Tendulkar voice was replaced, if not with a deep Bachchan, then at least something loud and brash. We haven’t see this Rahul before. For another, he obviously is not a great speaker - and he didn’t seem to care. He ended up reading his speech where the important thing to notice was not its content, but the use of body posture - which appeared confrontational. His body language spoke volumes, not the content. But for it is worth, we will look at that as well. For the most part, his speech was a rehash of points made by others in recent weeks. Quite apart from the fact that he trotted out the usual criticism of Team Anna for challenging the supremacy of parliament with their “my way or the highway" approach, he adopted an aggressive tone that was in contrast to the conciliatory one offered by Manmohan Singh on Thursday. While thanking Anna cursorily for articulating the people’s sentiments against corruption, he did everything possible to verbally put down Team Anna. Given below are his statements, their possible implications, and some political interpretations. Rahul said: “We cannot wish away corruption by the mere desire to see it removed from our lives. This requires a comprehensive framework of action and a concerted political programme supported by all levels of the state from the highest to the lowest. Most importantly, it requires firm political will.” Firstpost view: This is a suggestion that Team Anna does not have the full picture. Only the UPA has the vision for doing this. However, the main accusation against the Manmohan Singh government is that it has shown little political will to combat corruption. Even the Lokpal Bill it presented is so weak as to be practically useless. Rahul’s aggression was not matched by any recognition of this reality. Rahul said: “An effective Lokpal law is only one element in the legal framework to combat corruption. The Lokpal institution alone cannot be a substitute for a comprehensive anti-corruption code. A set of effective laws is required. Laws that address the following critical issues are necessary…(1) government funding of elections and political parties, (2) transparency in public procurement, (3) proper regulation of sectors that fuel corruption like land and mining, (4) grievance redress mechanisms in public service delivery of old-age pensions and ration cards; and (5) continued tax reforms to end tax evasion.” Firstpost view: Point 1 is new. If the UPA seeks to reform electoral reforms, that would be a real game-changer. Point 2 is something Manmohan Singh has been talking about for a while now. Point 3 is a dig at the BJP, since Karnataka has seen land and mining scams. What is significant is what he didn’t mention: the spectrum scam that his government presided over. Point 4 is probably a response to Team Anna’s call for a citizen’s charter. Point 5 has been happening steadily for the last two decades and Rahul obviously has no clue about this. Rahul said: “We speak of a statutory Lokpal but our discussions cease at the point of its accountability to the people and the risk that it might itself become corrupt. Madam Speaker, why not elevate the debate and fortify the Lok Pal by making it a constitutional body accountable to parliament like the Election Commission of India? I feel the time has come for us to seriously consider this idea.” Firstpost view: This is likely to be merely a way of subtly rubbishing Team Anna’s approach to the Lokpal. By throwing up the idea of a constitutional body like the EC, Rahul may also be setting the stage for upstaging both Team Anna and the BJP, which have been talking of a strong Lokpal. However, it is unlikely to go beyond rhetoric, for despite the Seshan draft being made available, it won’t have any short term impact as amending the constitution is a long process. It also won’t do anything to end Anna Hazare’s fast – which has to happen in a day or two. Rahul said: “Laws and institutions are not enough. A representative, inclusive and accessible democracy is central to fighting corruption. Individuals have brought our country great gains. They have galvanised people in the cause of freedom and development. However, individual dictates, no matter how well intentioned, must not weaken the democratic process….A tactical incursion, divorced from the machinery of an elected government that seeks to undo the checks and balances created to protect the supremacy of Parliament, sets a dangerous precedent for a democracy. Firstpost view: This is a clear warning to Team Anna that they cannot push things too far. And that their methods are not right.