I
had lunch at Luytens’, played golf at the exclusive greens of Delhi
Golf Club and had a private party at Minister’s official residence
and dozen other places. Who am I? Currently, in India I am termed as
an ambiguous phenomenon. People scream from rooftops to curb me,
dismantle me, and regulate me, etc. I belong to a super-exclusive
group which have members like Niira Radia,Tony Jesudasan, Deepak
Talwar, Suhel Seth, V. Balasubramaniun, Dilip Cherian etc.. I
am a Lobbyist.
According
to Wiki’s description, “A lobbyist is a person who tries to
influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a member of
a lobby. Governments often define and regulate organized group
lobbying that has become influential”.
Hail
the world of the influence-rs who fit in to a small breed
of men and women. The clan who understands that to generate more
money out of money, you must know how to manage power. In addition,
power is managed in many ways. Slick conversation, apt response,
subtle pressure, camouflaged media reports, a coordinated design of
public good and always the last resort: personal profit. They carry
forward these skills and resources to benefit their clients. Finally,
the question arises “Who are the clients?" They are big MNCs’,
politicians, businesspersons and numerous other people or
organizations. It engages people from all quarters like senior
retired bureaucrats, lawyers, PR agents, media persons with some
legitimate and influential industrial lobbying groups like CII, FICCI
etc. to push forward the influence in the policy-making. An
industrial organization may claim of playing political advocacy. But
even they know that advocacy is always a nicer replacement for the
term lobbying.
In
United States and elsewhere around the globe, lobbying is a
legitimate activity. Lobbying firms are prevalent in every public
sphere of influence. Some lobby for greenery, some for more oil and
some for civil rights. Yet, the good thing is, they are regulated
with laws intact. But, in India it is something far more unclear.
Lobbyists here, fancy to be heard rather than being overheard
.Overheard here is meant for those people who are none of their
businesses. Definitely, Niira Radia got overheard. Even if
she didn't try, her leaked out tapes of 2G spectrum
allocation scam did push that doomsday button. She didn't scream
out but her tapes did about how a policy is influenced by the
most powerful in India. The tapes affirmed the facts about how these
powers influence the decision regarding which minister to have a
certain portfolio and what flexible policies to be made in near
future. And to move forward the names of person to discard who
develop into a bone of contention, with the sole motive to benefit
the influential. What followed thereafter was a natural progression
demanding for lobbying laws in our country.
Unquestionably,
lobbying has reached either a point where it influences or attempts
to influence, who holds the ministerial rank. What we need is,
revelations. For sure, lobbying is not legal in India but it’s not
illegal as well. At this point, resisting lobbying is never a
solution but regulating it though a flexible law, certainly is. As
too stringent laws on regulating or restricting it too much,
threatens people’s interest. And we must realize that. Politics is
all about the conflict of interests. Especially if the citizens
demand, the importance lies in greater disclosure, transparency and
sincerity. Because public do have a distinct right to know why policy
makers are formulating the decisions they do and who has influenced
those decisions. India must open up to the lobbying. We have to
legalize it and make it apparent for the public interest. Someone
quoted it right “The President is people’s lobbyist”. That’s
why Lobby-ism shouldn't be subject to dismantle but certain lobbyists should be.