Parliament Disruptions, unfortunate
Omkar Dattatray
It is the acknowledged fact that parliament is the temple of democracy and through it ,laws governing the people are transacted for the people who are the real sovereigns in a democracy and for their interest parliament functions .Hence it is the moral and constitutional duty and responsibility of the august parliamentarians to maintain ,protect and uphold the sanctity of the parliament .It follows that it is the responsibility of both the treasury benches/ruling parties as well as the opposition parties to uphold the sanctity of the parliament .
In good olden days that is after the enactment of the constitution and embracing of the parliamentary democracy ,there was the smooth functioning and working of the two houses of the parliament and in those days proceedings of the parliament were carried as per the legislative propriety and good business was conducted for the interest of the people who are the real sovereigns in a democracy .But in the present time parliament and the people of the country witness ruckus ,protests ,coming to the well of the parliament ,logjam ,pandemonium and resultant disruption.
It is very unfortunate that the parliament has become a fish market where muscle power and lung power is in full swing and little business is transacted .These days when the parliament proceedings are live telecasted and the nation see the parliament proceedings ,it is doubly needed that the parliamentarians should conduct themselves with utmost discipline and decorum and play their part and legislate for the people who have voted them for the noble cause of making laws which govern the citizens.
The monsoon session of the parliament is going on ,but there is total disruption and pandemonium in the parliament and for the last six days no worthwhile business was transacted and the resultant disruptions led to the loss of many man days of the parliament .This non transacting of the parliament business leads to loss of the tax payers money and this is unacceptable in a stable and dynamic democracy .
Both the treasury benches and the opposition parties should conduct themselves in a dignified manner and avoid unnecessary disruptions of the parliament for the interest of the nation .More often than not the ruckus ,protests and resultant pandemonium is created by the members of the parliament which is a sad reflection on the working of the parliament .
These disruptions lower the credibility of the parliamentarians and this is very unfortunate .There is urgent need that both the houses of the parliament should function smoothly and transact the maximum possible business so that people of the country are benefitted .Currently the monsoon session of the parliament is disrupted on the demand of the opposition front for having a discussion about the Manipur violence and for the demand that prime minister should give a statement about this violence and he should remain in the parliament during the discussion on Manipur violence .
Prime minister Modi hit out at the opposition calling them directionless as several MP’s demanded discussion on Manipur violence and protested the suspension of AAP MP Sanjay Singh .Congress leader hit back at PM Modi ,saying us whatever you like ,we are INDIA .Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 5pm amid sloganeering by opposition MP’s demanding a discussion on Manipur issue .The home minister Amit Shah said that the government is ready to discuss the issue of Manipur and seeks cooperation from all the parties ,rising above party lines .I hope that all parties will cooperate in resolving this important issue .He further said we have no objection to the Manipur debate .People are watching the true face of opposition now .Make a suitable atmosphere in the house for discussion on Manipur .
The opposition members should be allowed to raise the issues of public interest and the views of the opposition leaders should be respected and the criticism of the government by the opposition should be welcomed and encouraged because the opposition is the soul of democracy as the opposition keeps the government on its toes and it is very much needed for the successful working of the democracy. Monsoon session of the parliament is marred by continuous disruptions and logjam and there is need for the normal functioning of the two houses of parliament .In this regard chairman of Rajya Sabha Dhankhar has met MP’s of opposition parties to ensure smooth functioning of the upper house .
The monsoon session is marred by the disruptions as the productivity is marred by the ruckus ,protests and disruptions .Lok Sabha adjourned till tomorrow 11 am ,amid sloganeering by the opposition over Manipur issue .On July 27,a verbal spat broke out between union minister Piyush Goyal and congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Lok Sabha over the disruption by the opposition of the External Affairs minister S.Jaishankar’s statement ,prompting adjournment of the house .
When chair asked Chowdhury to raise a point of order ,Goyal stood up and said that he would not allow the congress leader to speak in protest against the disruption of the external affairs minister’s statement earlier in the day on India’s foreign engagements since budget session .Lok Sabha adjourned briefly over uproar on Manipur issue on 27th July .The opposition members walk out of Rajya sabha over Manipur issue on 27th July .Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm on 27th july .
EAM Jaishankar speaks in Rajya Sabha amid sloganeering by the opposition MP’s .Leaders of INDIA opposition alliance raise slogans against government over Manipur issue outside parliament .Again on 27th July lok Sabha adjourned till 2pm after opposition leaders ,dressed in black carried placards of INDIA for Manipur and raised slogans demanding presence of PM in the house .Parliamentry affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said no confidence motion and wearing black clothes will serve no purpose .We are back today because all the opposition parties decided to mark their protest on the issue of Manipur .
This protest will continue till the government agrees for a debate on Manipur ,said congress MP Rajeev Shukla .Adhir Ranjan Chowadhury said ,we do not get a chance to speak in the parliament .We demanded that PM Modi should come to Parliament and have a detailed discussion on Manipur issue .We do not know why PM is not speaking .We were forced to bring a no confidence motion .We know that this will not bring down the government ,but we have no choice .The PM of the country should come in front of the country and speak on Manipur .
The disruptions of the parliament functioning is not in the interest of the ruling party and also of the opposition parties and this should now stop and pave the way for smooth functioning of the parliament. .On 27th of July two bills were passed in Lok Sabha amid sloganeering by the opposition parties and the house was adjourned for the day as the opposition parties were demanding presence of the PM Modi in Lok Sabha. Since home minister has made it clear that government is ready for a discussion on Manipur issue and so now the ball is in oppositions court and it should shun the path of disruption and come for the fruitful discussion on the important issue of Manipur which is burning with the communal and ethnic flames.PM Narendra Modi should shun his ego and come to parliament to give a statement on Manipur issue and the opposition MP’s should shun path of protest and disruption and cooperate in the smooth functioning of both houses of parliament because disruption does not serve any purpose except loss to the government exchequer which in actuality is loss of tax payers money.
The continuous disruptions amount to destruction of the parliament and so disruptions should stop now for the sake of smooth parliamentary proceedings .Thus there is urgent need that the monsoon session of the parliament should function smoothly and without frictions and disruptions and in it lies the good of both the treasury benches as well as of the opposition parties.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist)
