NEW DELHI: The minority Congress (I) govt headed by Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao crossed its first major jurdle by winning the vote of confidence in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Prime Minister assured the Lok Sabha that his govt will not Tide roughshod over the Opposition and try to work out a consensus on various issues in running the govt.

The Congress (I) govt, which was asked to seek a vote of confidence by the President, obtained the nod from the House in a convincing manner with the National Front and the Left Parties abstaining from voting either for or against the govt and the BJP voting against the motion. The Congress (I) obtained 241 votes in favor of the motion, while 111 members voted against the motion and 112 abstained. The division was demanded by BJP members.

The one-line motion read: this House expresses confidence in the council of ministers. The President, Mr. R.  Venkataraman had given four weeks to Mr. Narasimha Rao to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

The two-day debate was resumed on Monday immediately after zero and raising a matter under Rule 377 and continued for the full day before the House was adjourned after voting. The debate witnessed a virtual contest between the BJP on the one side and the National and the Left on the other point that they were the real opposition. They attacked the Congress (I) for their performance over the last two weeks, particularly for the devaluation of the rupee the sale of gold and the measures taken to solve the balance of payment crisis.

The Congress (I) sat pretty with nothing to lose knowing fully well the outcome of the vote of confidence, The Prime Minister, however, rose repeatedly during the debate to clarify points raised by the participants.

The friendly parties, like the AIADMK and the Muslim League, attacked the National Front and Janata Dal in particular and criticized the BJP for their stand on the Babri Masjid issue.

As the members had not been given their division numbers yet the speaker Mr Shivraj Patil announced that the electronic voting system could not be used and the members should express their preference in the forms which were distributed. This took quite some time before the result, though a foregone conclusion was announced.

In a spirited reply to the debate the Prime Minister accepted the realities of the situation but defended the steps taken by the govt recently. He also assured the members that the economy would be deregularised but at our own terms and pace without compromising national interests.

Industrial reforms soon Mr. Rao announced that the govt would announce reforms in the industrial policy in the next four days. He said foreign investments would be welcome but on our conditions. The Prime Minister said “we have to find solutions for problems on the basis of a consensus without which there will be no solution. This is going to be the methodology. I can assure you that my govt will not take the country to another disaster.

He said his govt was waiting for the vote of confidence before taking up political issues. Once the vote was obtained he would start consultations from Tuesday. He favored creation of areas of agreements keeping away areas of disagreement. The difficult and dangerous situation demands this approach from all parties.

Mr. Rao agreed with the view expressed by senior leaders of other parties that the days of massive majorities were over. He said his party had also anticipated a hung Parliament before the election. The mandate has been given negatively for not going back to the people again. The message is you try to run the govt on consensus for solving problems.

Replying to the criticism that the Congress (I) had not solved problems despite 40 years in power the prime minister said, “people have come to the Congress, but with a warning that it will not ride rough and try to work out a consensus, They also said if there is one party in its Congress (I ) which has the confidence of the people.

He acknowledged that his party was short of a majority by 10 or 12 members and it might not be possible for the govt to push through a constitutional amendment without the support of the opposition, This was a warning to the Congress to mend its ways and correct past lapses.  

Article extracted from this publication >> July 19, 1991