Dysfunctional legislatures disrupt lives of the people and dreams of the nation, says Vice President
New Delhi: Expressing concern over the rising disruptions in the legislatures and the declining quality of the country’s parliamentary democracy, Vice President of India and Chairman of Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu today called for a people’s movement to influence the conduct of 5,000 MPs, MLAs and MLCs in the law making bodies for making a difference from the present. Terming it as ‘Mission 5000’, Naidu asserted that such a campaign is necessary to save the parliamentary democracy from loosing it’s sheen and appeal.
Naidu was speaking on the consequences of disruptions and dysfunctional legislatures while delivering the first ‘Pranab Mukherjee Memorial Lecture’ on the theme ‘Constitutionalism; Guarantor of Democracy and Inclusive Growth’ organised by the ‘Pranab Mukherjee Legacy Foundation’ through video conferencing, on the occasion of the first death anniversary of the former President of India .
The Vice President noted that protests on the floor of the legislative chambers were fine as long as they didn’t breach the dignity and decorum of the House. He said; “Protesting against the omissions and commissions of the governments on the floor of the legislatures is the right of the legislators. But the emotional underpinnings of such protests should not cross the limits of decency and decorum that should mark parliamentary democracy. To ensure this, I have been advocating that ‘Let the Government propose, the Opposition oppose and the House dispose”.
Stating that Constitutionalism checks arbitrariness of the governments by ensuring wider stakeholder consultations, Naidu observed “Dysfunctional legislatures prevent the much desired wider consultations before making of laws and framing of policies. Such disruptions negate the principle of accountability of the executive to the legislatures, thereby promoting the tendency of arbitrariness, which Constitutionalism seeks to checkmate.
He lamented that “Disrupted and dysfunctional legislatures can disrupt the lives of the people and the dreams of our nation” and outlined the contours of the ‘Mission 5000’ aimed at changing the behaviour of the 5000 legislators who are elected from time to time. Under this mission, he urged the “awakened citizens” to identify the disruptors and question them during their visits to respective constituencies/areas; launch Mission 5000 social media handles and post the names of disruptors along with comments; hold meetings to discuss the functioning of legislatures and their members; write letters to news dailies voicing concern over the conduct of such disruptors; send messages of concern directly to such legislators and more importantly, to take into consideration the parliamentary performance and conduct of elected representatives while voting in the next elections.
In the 75th year of the country’s Independence, Naidu also urged all the MPs, MLAs and MLCs across the country to resolve to not disrupt the Houses during this year. He further said; “Thereafter, I can assure them that it would become a ‘habit’ having sensed the fragrance of constructive conduct in the legislatures and the appreciation it would get from the media and the people at large”.
– global bihari bureau
