- The most basic premise of a democratic country is that the elected representatives are nothing but functionaries furthering the cause of the people, for the people, and by the people. The Indian Constitution prepared by the Constituent Assembly forefathers were not only farsighted in their comprehension of what the country needed aftermath of the most tumultuous period post-Independence, but also minutely understood the diversity and the undercurrents stupendously. Little wonder, India as a country has progressed tremendously over the last few decades, standing proudly as the fifth largest economy in the world. Indian democratic credentials are duly recognized around the world, contributing immensely to the country’s heft/traction.
PC: News18
- Also, the vibrancy of democracy is largely dependent on the way the Parliament functions by debating threadbare every draft bill that would eventually become the law of the land. As such, robust debate before the passage of the bill is an essential part of the Parliamentary proceedings with equal engagement of treasury and opposition benches. The debates from the Parliamentary luminaries of the past have been well documented. The oratorical skills of some of the greatest orators the Indian Parliament has seen need no further elaboration. Threadbare discussions would enable the Parliamentarians to comprehend the minute details of the draft bill that would eventually further the cause of the nation.
PC: Times of India
- As you are aware, the recent Parliamentary proceedings are known for perpetual disruptions from the opposition benches who simply disallow smooth functioning from happening most naturally. Creating a din when the government representatives and the opposition leaders are speaking has become a norm rather than an exception. The very purpose of a healthy debate stands defeated when disruptions continue to rule the Parliamentary proceedings. Most welcomingly, the two recent incidents reported show that the Parliamentary proceedings are not entirely lost to the din. This is what a US senator’s long speech and a good waqf debate in the two Houses of Indian Parliament indicate. Let’s dwelve further to understand the same.
PC: ABC News
- One of the US senators stood up to speak at 7 pm last Monday – Washington, DC time – and didn’t sit down until 8.06 pm on Tuesday, setting a record. True, most seats were empty for most of the senator’s 25-hour marathon. But even if everyone didn’t listen to him, nobody in the 100-seat Senate interrupted him. With Trump all over the place, the Democrat’s rhetoric proved to be some exercise. Likewise, the two Houses of Parliament in India took up the Waqf Bill in classic Parliamentary spirit. There was debate, some protests, some ribbing, but thankfully no walkout. Decorum is cheaper and more productive for the nation. Democracy works best when everybody gets their say, regardless of how unpalatable their words are. Long live democratic norms!
