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Friday, Sep 14, 2007
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Set an example, President tells MPs

Special Correspondent

Ansari calls for re-dedication to basic principles of parliamentary functioning

Confrontationist attitude not in the interest
of people: Somnath
Justify the trust reposed by people, Sharad Pawar tells legislators

PHOTO: PTI/ Subhav Shukla

COVETED AWARD FOR AIYAR: President Pratibha Patil presenting the ‘Outstanding Parliamentarian’ award for 2006 to Minister of Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports Mani Shankar Aiyar at the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi on Thursday. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is behind Mr. Aiyar.

NEW DELHI: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Thursday joined the presiding officers of both Houses of Parliament and the Prime Minister in urging parliamentarians to “uphold the highest traditions of democracy and the highest standards of parliamentary functioning.”

Ms. Patil was addressing a gathering at Parliament House after presenting the Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards to Union Ministers Sharad Pawar, P. Chidambaram and Mani Shankar Aiyar and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj.

The President urged MPs to keep away from “political recriminations and work together towards building a strong nation ready to meet the challenges of this century.”

She said that Parliament — being the national legislative body — had the added responsibility of setting the standards for elected bodies right down to the village level. “How Parliament conducts itself is what other elected bodies feel is the right standard for them.”

Referring to editorial comments on the last session of Parliament, Vice-President Hamid Ansari called for introspection and re-dedication to the basic principles of parliamentary functioning.

Manmohan’s plea

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh — himself a recipient of the award — said MPs, particularly the younger generation, should try to emulate the standards of debate and discussion set by the Outstanding Parliamentarians.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee noted that “disruptionist and confrontationist attitude” was neither in the interest of the system nor the people. “Of late, unfortunately, there is a perception that the atmosphere in our legislatures is not in consonance with due discharge of members’ duties to society and that the quality of debates, as also the behaviour of our members, is not up to the desired level.”

Photos: PTI/ Subhav Shukla

For their contribution: President Pratibha Patil presenting Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar (for the year 2003), BJP leader Sushma Swaraj (for 2004) and Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram (2005) in Parliament on Thursday. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is to the President’s left. —

Of the view that unethical conduct and disruptive behaviour would seriously undermine the very edifice of India’s democratic structure, Mr. Chatterjee warned against this disturbing trend. “If we have to retain the trust of the people in our functioning and commitment to our democratic structure, we cannot allow such debilitating trends to continue.”

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Pawar — who has had a 40-year-long unbroken stint as legislator — said legislators should justify the trust reposed in them by people.

Commenting on the recently concluded Parliament session, Mr. Chidambaram said that while the legislature had managed a respectable score as far as making of laws was concerned — the “deeply flawed” process notwithstanding — “we need to rediscover the art of reasoned debate.”

Mr. Aiyar said the greatest achievement of India in 60 years was the fact that it succeeded in translating its independence into freedom of people. He also made out a case for returning to the days of yore when Parliament was a platform for debate and discussion without rancour.

Ms. Swaraj thanked the male-dominated Indian Parliamentary Group for making her the first woman recipient of the award.

ANI reports:

Congratulating the parliamentarians, the Prime Minister said: “I am naturally delighted that three of the four awardees today are members of my Cabinet. All of them are not just good parliamentarians, but have also proved to be good administrators.

“Pawar has been a valued colleague, an experienced and mature guide and a steadfast ally for many-many years,” the Prime Minister said. Mr. Chidambaram was an extremely gifted, talented and hard working member of his Cabinet who had contributed enormously to the implementation of the government’s policies.

“Aiyar has been an energetic spokesman of the third tier of democracy in this first tier, reminding us that decentralisation of power and development is essential for the success of our democracy.”

Dr. Singh said Ms. Swaraj was not just a vocal member of the Opposition, but had been an effective Minister in the previous Government.

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