Sumitra urges MPs to ensure smooth House functioning

Ahead of the Monsoon Session next week, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has reached out to parliamentarians through an emotional letter wherein she stated that the "cycle of interruptions" in Parliament will continue endlessly if MPs justify disruptions by citing the conduct of other parties in the past.

Reminding MPs of their "moral responsibility", Mahajan urged them to ensure smooth functioning of the House.

The Speaker's comments come in the backdrop of an almost complete wash-out of the previous session of Parliament and apprehensions that a similar fate may be awaiting the coming session, beginning Wednesday.  The session will have 18 sittings.

Mahajan said "time has come for us to introspect and decide what is the way forward and ideal image for our Parliament and democracy".

The task of protecting and keeping intact the prestige and sanctity of Parliament, the "sacred temple of democracy", is a collective responsibility, she said in the two-page letter.

 "On the basis of my experience, I can say that people observe the performance of their representatives very keenly and media also presents to the people the detailed report of their performance in Parliament and Parliamentary constituency," Mahajan said.

It was a privilege being a member of the "august House", she added, and told MPs that people had great expectations from them and had reposed their faith in them.

Discussing frequent adjournments in the last sessions due to members coming to the well of the house -- shouting slogans and showing placards -- Mahajan said divergence of opinion and dissent should be within the parameters and norms of Parliamentary dignity so that people may continue to have abiding faith in democracy and democratic institutions.