Inside Parliament: Views from the Front Row

by Derek O'Brien

Derek O'Brien dominated Indian television as the country's most well-known quizmaster for over two decades, asking questions to millions across India. Now he plays a key role in the Rajya Sabha raising important questions from the front row in the Upper House. One of the most candid, courageous voices of the Opposition, O'Brien is articulate, incisive and provocative - qualities that are apparent in his writing. In this book, comprising his best political essays, Derek O'Brien reflects on the state of the nation, offering insights from a unique vantage point -inside Parliament. Never afraid of controversy or contention, he covers topics ranging from federalism, the Constitution and the note ban to the much-debated GST bill, social media and the lessons he's learnt as MP. Thought-provoking and captivating at once, Inside Parliament is required reading for all interested in understanding today's India and all who care about its future.

Genres: Politics, India

240 pages, Paperback

Published November 28, 2017

Reviews

[Chaitra Sagar · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is misleading. Classic bait and switch. I was really excited to hear Derek's take on the workings of the parliaments, anecdotes and insider perspectives. But the book turned out to be half BJP-bashing, half Mamata-worship. Someone of Derek's intellectual capabilities would have surely realised what was wrong with the title. I'm disappointed he gave in to cheap marketing tactics his publisher pushed for.

[Mithun Shashank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this book with an inquisitive interest to know and gain knowledge in how parliament functions and to get the authors view on the greatest debates he witnessed in the Upper house. Instead, it turns out to be a book excessively praising the TMC and Mamata di government in WB. The author makes it a point to highlight and criticise all schemes of the Central Government and taunt it for its 3 years of ruling at the center. The book should have been named “Demonetisation - views from a non- economist.

I expected the book to highlight some of the greatest moments, incidents, puns and gigs inside the parliament which the national media could not be able to tell the public. Tell stories about the best and greatest Parliamentarians. No, This book is an attempt by someone to blow the Horns of Mamata Di so loud that the sound is carried twice as far. The cover of the book is very dubious.

[Venky Iyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am writing a fiction book on a politician. I began reading this book with high hopes that I would be given unbiased insight on political shenanigans and machinations, the kind of insight that would give me ideas for my own book.

The only idea I got from this book was how not to write a book.

I have the feeling this book is an attempt at preparatory propaganda for the next Lok Sabha (central government) elections in India, due in 2019, on behalf of the author’s political party, the All India Trinamool Congress and its leader, Mamata Banerjee.

The book reflects the author’s rather unrealistic ambition of making the All India Trinamool Congress the most dominant party at the center in 2019 in terms of seats won and the fractionally—just fractionally—more realistic ambition of making Mamata Banerjee Prime Minister of India. “Fractionally more realistic” because in the unhinged world of politics anything can happen.

I am not pro any political party or personage. The truth is I have a serious allergy to practically all political parties and personalities, notwithstanding the fact I am writing a political novel. But I seriously object to the apparent theme of this book, which is that the All India Trinamool Congress and Mamata Banerjee are God’s own gift to India’s voters and that all other political parties and personalities are agents of the devil.

The author takes repeated, rather transparent stabs at other political parties and their leaders and their sins and shortcomings, and conveniently glosses his own party's negatives, like the reputation it has as a goon-based outfit that does not hesitate to use muscle to stifle dissent.

Does this book get my vote as reading I recommend to others?

No way.

[Sai Teja Suram · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays by Derek about his experiences and observations in the Parliament. It gives a glimpse of how Indian Parliament works, Derek's (biased) opinion on BJP's conduct in and outside of the parliament. This is a very short read and I found it informative. The book (obviously) shows Mamata Banerjee in an extremely +ve light. Keeping his political inclinations aside, I'm convinced that Derek is a dedicated parliamentarian.

[Karan Rai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hypocrisy at it's best.

[Jayashri R · Rating 2 out of 5]

Expected more insights.

[Yash Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

1)Inside Parliament, views from the front raw, is a collection of essays written by Derek O'Brien, and the latter is the member of Indian parliament from Rajya sabha, and also a renowned political leader of trinamool Congress.

2)In this book he talked mostly about Narendra Modi and how the opposition can defeat him in the upcoming 2019 loksabha election and he also tried to glorify the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamta Banerjee.


3) He raised various issues in this book like cow vigilantism, about demonetization and it's negative consequences, the neglect of Rajya sabha by the incumbent government, his blatant criticism of communist party of India, CPI ( M), and how the latter destroyed west bengal totally during their 34 years of long government, he also criticized the so called national media of New Delhi and the latter's bias towards the Bjp government at the centre, he also discussed kashmir issue, and also highlights the works done by the trinamool Congress government in west bengal.


4) Though I found this book very boring, nothing new, except praising Mamta Didi again and again, though some of the issues which he highlighted in this Book is good, but I will not recommend this book to Readers.

My ratings : ⭐⭐⭐ ( 3/5 )

I hope you like the review, thanks for reading, Jai Hind

[Lokesh Amarnath · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of the book is slightly misleading. The book starts off well about the experiences in the parliament as a politician. Towards the end of the book, the author talks about how BJP's policies during the 2015-17 are for the worse.

[Siddharrth Jain · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you really want to get a brief understanding of how a parliament functions, (well most of the times it is not allowed to run) you must get a grab of this book by Derek O' Brien.

A former quizmaster and a current Member of Parliament (MP) of the Trinamool, Derek has written a crisp overview of the Parliament, the current government in power and of course on his party's management in West Bengal, under Mamata Bannerjee's leadership.

The Good: The choice of the words used, are simple and not extravagant, unlike what you will usually find in most of the books of today. Derek has covered a wide range of topics from GST, to Demonetisation, to BJP and/or CPI(M). And most importantly he carries a certain wit in his writing, which helps keep the reader, engaged.

The Weak (let's not use the word Bad): Too many small chapters, which finish, just when you wanted to gather a deeper insight into the topic. He repeats the topics in various and alternate chapters, which could have been combined within one, to avoid the link-break.

Overall the book is almost unputdownable. The writer has given a fair account, at least from the opposition's point of view, and at the end of the day, every affair will have a two-side story to it. Anyhow 'Naann ready! Neenga ready-aa?' (I'm ready! Are you ready?! (To read) 🙂📚

[Arti Shukla · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book reads as if Derek was preparing for one of his electoral speeches through a text-to-speech app.

The title of the books sounds so promising only to disappoint you with its very first chapter. Why Derek Why? Why would you write University exam paper in the place of full-fledged essays.

The bullet points are half baked, unthoughtful, and extremely rant ridden. Yes, we get it. BJP is bad, NDA is bad, UPA is bad. But you could have written the so-called essays as a parliamentarian who you promised yourself to be, instead you sound like a an employee who would go to any lengths to please his boss.

You didn't even give your readers even a slightest glimpse of what being in the Parliament actually means. This book is a great device used effectively to catfish readers into your complaining spree.

Dear Readers,

If you are looking to pick up a Indian Politics oriented literature, you can give this one a skip. There is much better options available.

[Sanjay Banerjee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of his essays reflecting on the state of the nation offering insights from the vantage point of his seat in the Parliament. Especially impactful, to me, was the concluding part of his last essay : “I was born and grew up in Calcutta, in a Hindu neighbourhood. We lived on a street named after a Muslim (Jamir Lane). We are a Christian family. That is the India I know. That is the only India I want to know. Let no one even try to destroy this. Marginalized or not marginalized, nobody must destroy this.”

[Shabbir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly biased, but nonetheless a look (from thr back row) at how the inner world of Indian politics works - one you don't get to hear about much.

There were spurts of interesting insights - an analytical look at demonetization, on inner workings at some critical policies - but those only made one regret more: this book could have been a hallmark of educating the layman about Indian politics if only the author could have been more methodical and scholarly while going about writing it.

[Juluru Akhil · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insight into how modern day parliament works,especially with the emergence of local parties how parties caucus with each other on different causes despite have ideological differences. Albeit a leftist take on the parliament a worthwhile read for someone who wants to know about the inner workings of the parliament

[Yoginder Agarwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intelligently expostulated view from India's first Quizmaster of the political scene in India. Hope he is writing a more recent book, given the recent Article 370 abrogation, the CAA/NRC protests and the current economic downslide the nation is experiencing. Although, this is a very interesting read.

[Palwai]

Completed reading a book after a long gap!
Done with #InsideParliament by @DerekObrienMP. An amazing read to understand the insider view on the current state of affairs in #India.
I may disagree on many aspects, yet the #QuizMaster possess a multitude of questions to ponder on.

[Mahesh Dandgaval · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is all about is writer's thoughts, ideas, political interventions and policy suggestions as the leader of the one of the opposition party.
Book is divided into chapters. Worth reading.

[Pratishtha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an essential book to read.
I just thought there would be more of O'Brien but there was more of Trinamool. Perhaps, that is what a party becomes to you.

[Vikrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get full review at www.twitter.com/malikvikrant

[Arjun · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Inside Parliament: Views from the Front Row" offers an insightful perspective on the workings of the Indian Parliament. Derek O'Brien's firsthand experiences and observations provide a unique glimpse into the political landscape, making it an engaging read for anyone interested in understanding the nuances of Indian governance and politics.