By TN Ashok / Chennai
Six Members of Parliament were honoured with Sansad Ratna Awards 2016 during the 7th edition of the Sansad Ratna Award function held at IIT Madras here today. Sansad Ratna Awards was instituted by Prime Point Foundation and eMagazine Presense in 2010 to honour the top performing Parliamentarians based on various parameters including Debates, Private Members Bills, Questions, attendance in the House and Committee Meetings, MPLad funds usage and being one among the top 10 for overall tally.
P P Chaudhary (Rajasthan) Shivaji Adhalrao Patil, Dr Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Shrirang Appa Ne, Rajeev Shankarrao Satav (all from Maharashtra) and P Rajeev (retired Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala) were honoured by Dr C Rangarajan, Former Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Reserve Bank of India with Sansad Ratna Awards for their outstanding performance.
Anandrao Adsul, Hansraj Ahir and Arjun Ram Meghwal, outstanding Parliamentarians of 15th Lok Sabha and Sansad Maha Ratna Awardees constituted the selection committee.
Speaking on the occasion , Dr Rangarajan, said it was disturbing phenomenon that there were frequent recurrence or disorderliness and interruptions in the proceedings of parliament as well as legislative assemblies.” The arena meant for battle of wits on ccasions has turned into a battle of fists”, he said adding membvers have to bear the responsibility for the maintenance of dignity and decorum in the house . There can be occasions when members want to give express to their anger of disappointments through walk outs and others forms of protest.Nverthless , a debate on an issue has to be won by cogent arguments and not by raising the voice or by any other means.
Dr Rangarajan, who was also the chairman of the economic advisory council under the then UPA prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, it was time to explore the prospects for members to be given freedom t vote according to their own judgement. Voting on various legislations has been strictly on party lines. Its experimenting otherwise except for money bills or when issue of leadership is involved members be given the freedom to vote.
He quoted former President R Venkatraman to say Discipline and decorum are the basic foundation so fparliamentary democracy. To speak and lets other speak, to hear and let others hear, to propose and let the opposition have its say and to argue vehemently but accommodate ultimately is the pth and substance of parliamentary process.
The event also saw a discussion on electoral reforms where former CEC T S Krishnamurthy and Arjun Meghwal, Chief Whip of the BJP participated besides TK Rangarjan , CPI-MP. It also saw discussion on the challenges and explectations in Tamil Nadu following the recent assembly elections. Hariharan of Thanthi TV moderated the discusions on both .