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Mrunal [Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart Print
[Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart
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Introduction Why is it called Lobbying? How is lobbying done? Lobbying in USA Lobbying in India Lobbying vs Bribery Controversies related to Lobbying #1: RadiaGATE #2: Gulam Nabi Fai: Anti-Kashmir lobbying in USA #3: Wal-Mart Lobbying: FDI in Multibrand Retail Lobbying: Pro arguments Lobbying: Anti-Arguments Mock Questions
Introduction
Lobbyist?
Lobbyist is a person employed to persuade legislature/executive to make some policy/act/rule that favors the lobbyists employer. Lobbyists are hired by Interest groups e.g. businessmen, spy agencies (ISI/CIA), etc. Trade unions, environmental associations, NGOs, womens rights group etc. also demand Government to make particular policy/act/rule via dharna-pradarshan, strikes, bandh, fasts, protests, rastaa-roko etc. But theyre interest groups. Theyre not lobbyist. Lobbyist is a sophisticated professional who does this work for money. (And theyre usually very expensive to hire.) To get a favorable Government policy/rule/law etc. OR To eliminate / modify unfavorable Government policy/rule/law etc.
Employers of Lobbyist?
Aim of Lobbying?
Target of
Members of parliament, politicians, ministers, bureaucrats, regulatory agencies etc. (anyone who has
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Mrunal [Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart Print
lobbyist
Lobbying in USA
As per the American laws, the companies are required to disclose the issues and expenditures associated with lobbying. This helps public and media to who is paying how much for a particular cause. + professional Lobbyists are required to register with the House of Representatives (=their lok sabha) and the Senate (=their Rajya Sabha). Lobbying is so widespread in USA that in 2011 alone, there were 12000+ registered lobbyists, and more than 3 billion US Dollars were spent on lobbying! (This is not bribe, It is the cost of hiring lobbyists, Technical documents, research etc.)
Lobbying in India:
Lobbying is not officially recognized in India in any form (by Government or legislature). There is no formal organization for regulating/ controlling/ overseeing/ supervising the act of lobbying. (for example, newspapers have press council of India, banks have RBI. but there no such regulatory body for lobbying). Still, lobbying is (unofficially) done through Public Relations Firms and some well connected individuals (such as Nira Radia). Often, big corporate houses hire retired bureaucrats, (or sons/daughters of
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Mrunal [Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart Print
high ranking bureaucrats/ ministers) as liaison officers. Such liaison officers do the lobbying work. The Planning Commission of India has set up an expert committee to look into the issue of lobbying. Lobbying activities in India are primarily tested in terms of the existing law, i.e., the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. (In India, Lobbying has become synonymous with Bribe)
Lobbying vs Bribery
Lobbying
Lobbyist will hold some seminar/conference for MLAs / Excise minister and officials of Gujarat State. He will show powerpoint presentation on how state can earn more revenue from sale of liquor and use that money for health and education etc. But in reality this guy is paid by Kingfisher, McDonalds, Bagpiper or some other prominent liquor company.
Bribery
Same person is carrying a box full of desi-liquor bottles in his car, inside Gujarat. He is caught by police and gets away by offering some cash + a few bottles to those policemen!
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Mrunal [Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart Print
office of Democratic party and install spy devices. (so Republican President Nixon can monitor the conservations, activities, plans and election strategies of Democratic party. This office was located in a building known as Watergate. So when the whole scandal broke out, it was called Watergate scandal, and President Nixon had to resign because of this Watergate scandal. Taking that analogy, Indian media give -gate suffixes to scandals for example Radia-gate, Coal-gate.
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Mrunal [Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart Print
and that chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was supported and controlled by the ISI.
Wal-Marts defense
1. As per US law, we had to file lobbying Expenditure report with the US Senate. But report doesnt say that entire 125 crores have been spent exclusively in India. 2. Lobbying is totally legal in USA, so even if some Indians may find it distasteful or unethical, weve committed nothing wrong!
Lobbying: Anti-Arguments
1. Lobbying is an aggressive and intense form of persuasion. (Not a dialogue.)
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Mrunal [Polity] Lobbying: Meaning, pro-anti arguments, Nira Radia, Gulam Nabi Fai, Wal-mart Print
2. Lobbying is simply a case of government going to the highest bidder. 3. A powerful lobbyist can get laws changed even if theres no public consensus to do so, and those laws still apply to everyone. The opening up of the multibrand retail sector in India to foreign investment is one example. 4. Against Right to Equality: Businessmen with extensive money power can indulge in lobbying and get things done. While common man has to wait for hours or days to meet his MP/MLA. Thus, those with (financial) resources will win and those without cash will lose. 5. Our country does not have requisite safeguards for accountability in such lobbying cases. So if Lobbying is legalized in India, Itll lead to more 2Gs, and more Radiagates.
Mock Questions
For interview:
1. Should we legalize lobbying in India? Yes/No why? 2. With reference to Gulam Nabi Fai case, should Indian Government also hire this type of lobbyists in US/EU on the issues of Kashmir, China-border etc.? 3. For a moment, lets assume that FDI in Multibrand retail is in best interest of farmers and common men of India. And Wal-Mart and other companies paid lot of money in lobbying to get this approved. Is it good or is it bad? Does the end justify the means?
Ref
1. Major Inputs from Mr.Palas Nuwal. 2. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/when-lobbying-is-legal/1048686/0 3. http://www.sparknotes.com/us-government-and-politics/american-government/interestgroups/section3.rhtml 4. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/lobbying-needs-strongregulation/article4206711.ece 5. http://indialawjournal.com/volume4/issue_3/article_by_diljeet_titus.html 6. http://zeenews.india.com/exclusive/the-lobby-against-lobbying_5940.html
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