NEW DELHI, APRIL 23: The Government plugs Bharat Nirman as the Nayi Azadi in TV spots during IPL matches, rides on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act as its shining showpiece. All political parties, Left and Right, swear by the aam aadmi and the crying need for rural development.

But going by the attendance in the Lok Sabha this evening when the House voted on the Ministry of Rural Development’s demand for grants, the political establishment, obviously, has better things to do.

So key social-sector schemes spanning employment and drinking water to sanitation and old-age pension were debated to empty benches. And when the debate — scheduled for four hours, spilling over to eight — ended with the Minister’s reply at 8.50 pm, this was the attendance:

•Congress: 10 out of 152 members

•BJP: 3 out of 129

•CPM: 13 out of 43

•Biju Janata Dal: 1 out of 11

•Samajwadi Party: 1 out of 39

•Shiv Sena: 1 out of 11

•CPI: 4 out of 11 members

•RJD: 2 (including the minister) out of 24

A few Independent MPs and RPI (A)’s Ramdas Athawale were present. During the debate itself, at no time were there more than 60 MPs.

So much so that when Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, in his reply, was responding to the arguments mentioning names and trying to address each speaker’s concerns, the Lok Sabha Speaker stopped him to say that he should not name those who were not present. The Speaker said that if they were not present, the Minister need not bother answering their concerns.