The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today noted with concern that “all is not well with the Indian political system and it is functioning under great strain.” Stating that the primacy of debate, dialogue, deliberation and discussion in legislatures has yielded to disruption and disturbance, VP remarked that weaponizing politics by stalling functioning of Parliament is pregnant with serious consequences for our polity.
He criticized the trend of making the Chairman or Speaker “convenient punching bag” by either side, stating that respect for the Chair must always be there and that the senior member in parliament and legislatures must lead the way.
Dhankhar emphasized the need for maintaining strict adherence to democratic values and parliamentary traditions in legislatures, stating that the recent Parliament Session was painful and reflected significant moral erosion in legislative discourse. He referred to the Parliament and state legislatures as “north stars of democracy,” and they must exemplify sterling conduct worth emulation.
The Vice-President noted that cordiality and amiability are being replaced with confrontational and adversarial stances, indicating a new low in democratic polity. He called for introspection at all levels, particularly by political parties, and urged political parties to inculcate in their members a deep sense of discipline and reward those members whose performance has been excellent rather than rewarding those who engage in slogan shouting.
Dhankhar also highlighted the importance of ethics and morality in public life, stressing that democratic values blossom only when there is cooperation and high ethical standards. He called for strict adherence to the doctrine of separation of powers, stating that the nation progresses when its three wings – the legislature, the judiciary, and the executive – perform within their respective domains.
Dhankhar also highlighted the need for a structured mechanism of interaction amongst those at the apex of these pillars of democracy. He disapproved of the scenario where a member does not participate in debate but seeks to monetise their non-participation.
In his address to the Members of both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature in Mumbai, Dhankhar emphasized the need for Bharat to emerge as a role model for democracy by example. He expressed confidence that Bharat is on its way to becoming a Viksit nation by 2047, emphasizing the importance of parliamentarians at the state and central level in leading by example.
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