AMN /
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today appealed the entire opposition for the passage of important bills in Parliament saying these legislations were in the interest of the people. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on motion of thanks to President’s address in joint sitting of Parliament, Mr. Modi said that when Parliament does not function, the nation suffers and MPs suffer as they can’t discuss issues of public interest.
He said the nation is anxious because of what has being going on in the Parliament in the last few days. Mr Modi took a dig at Congress by invoking former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statement disapproving disruptions and said hindering debate in the House is very counter-productive.
The Prime Minister also said that the MPs should follow the advice of the President on the functioning of Parliament.
He added the House is a place where debates are to take place, but if boundaries are maintained during a debate then it is fruitful. Mr. Modi also suggested that only women MPs should speak in Parliament on the occasion of International Women on 8th March. He also stressed the need for focusing on primary education and water conservation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also invoked late Congress stalwarts and Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to urge the Opposition to let Parliament function “peacefully and responsibly”.
Modi also stressed that the nation suffers if Parliament does not function properly. “The House is a place where debates are to take place. When Parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers and more than that the MPs suffer because they can’t discuss issues,” said Modi.
“Parliament is a forum where different view points are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared, and one shouldn’t expect otherwise,” Modi said, replying to the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee’s address to Parliament.
“And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold parliamentary traditions” to let the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function “peacefully and responsibly”, he said. “It is not me saying this… These are the words of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi,” Modi told the Lok Sabha with most of the MPs present in the House.
He also referred to India’s first Prime Minister Nehru and his speeches in Parliament and urged the Opposition to help the government pass crucial legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax Bill.
“If House maintains decorum, we will be able to put our point of view in a better manner,” he said.
Modi also referred to Left leader Somnath Chatterjee who was Lok Sabha Speaker during the first UPA government from 2004 to 2009. “As far as disruptions are concerned, our former Speaker and some members here whose guide and philosopher Somnath Chatterjee said that to disrupt is totally counter-productive.”