$25 million (about Rs 125 crore) is a big money at least on Indian standards if not on those of the US. The news that global retail giant WalMart, waiting for years to open its supermarkets in India has been lobbying with the US lawmakers since 2008 to facilitate its entry into the highly lucrative Indian market, has spent $25 million on its various lobbying activities has raised many eyebrows. This news is reported to be skimmed from the lobbying disclosure reports filed (legally) by the giant global corporate house with the US Senate.
THE BACKGROUND
Lobbying may have negative connotation in other places of the world. But for the US it is an activity covered by legal provisions and is based on the serene concept of the right of the public to assemble and to petition the government. So resourceful persons can reach out to the “lobby” of the Senate house and petition and pursue the government, and the persons who can influence the government, in favour of the case of their client. This is all paid business. The resourceful lobbyists get paid by their clients and the lawmakers get due and undue benefits. The type of activities done by the lobbyists may be described by well-meaning terms like advocacy, advertising, promoting a cause, public affairs, political PR, parliamentary counselling, etc. The lobbyists are also called Interest-Group-Activists.
As far back as in 1946 the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act was adopted, then other regulations followed, the most recent one dating from 2007. The acts of law permit and regulate the activity. Hence there are disclosure requirements. And from such disclosures the report of WalMart’s expenditure for lobbying their Senators for getting entry into our land has been reportedly flashed back and our men are crying foul on that legal activity of theirs!
Lobbying is so lucrative a business that it attracts lots of talents. The number of lobbyist firms, an estimate says, is more than twelve thousand. Another estimate puts the count at seventeen thousand. However, all of them are not so much influential. Firms which matter and have clout are not more than a dozen.
THE OVERVIEW
The news does not reveal that the expenditures were made on our lawmakers, so they did not break any local law. This is the case of the law and lawmakers of the US. However, we may have many other concerns like the following:
- The income which global retail giants expect from our society that is becoming consumerist in leaps and bounds, day in and day out.
- The relationship between the US lawmakers and our Parliamentarians and executives so that if they are influenced, ours too get swayed. There must be some undisclosed chemistry.
Further, we may consider our own requirement for disclosures from these foreign business intruders. The content of such disclosures requires serious thinking and total commitment to national interest. Hope our politicians and bureaucrats possess these qualities!