If there are young Lok Sabha MPs in the ranks, they sit so far back in the benches as not to be seen, while a small group of Rajya Sabha MPs spends most of the time popping in and out of TV studios, holding forth on every issue under the sun.

The paucity of talent is emphasised every time Vijay Kumar Malhotra, as party spokesman, takes centrestage.

Not once in three years of being our major opposition party has the BJP shown that it understands the issues of the moment and has a worthwhile viewpoint.

Its performance in Parliament has been disgraceful and disruptive.

Every time there is an important debate, BJP MPs have evaded participation and behaved like street fighters instead of lawmakers. What is the point of walking out or descending into the well of the house when it would be so much more effective to articulate an opinion?

There are important issues at hand. On the nuclear deal Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha have expressed their opposition in articles in the newspapers. Fine. But, would it not be more useful for the debate to take place in Parliament?

Last week there was disruption because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Muslims should have “first claim on resources.” It is an unfortunate approach to economic development and needs to be challenged, and there are those who had hoped that the party of Hindutva would do so in the Lok Sabha.

Instead, there was disruption and the moment passed. There have been other moments. The Sonia-Manmohan government has been bullied by its Marxist friends into abandoning all attempts at privatisation and slowing down the process of economic liberalisation. The BJP has remained silent.

... contd.