Parliament must be allowed to function without disruptions

Protests, pandemonium and disruptions by all political parties during parliamentary proceedings have been a norm in India. When members of political parties resort to such juvenile behaviour in Parliament, it is not only a huge waste of taxpayers’ money but also a mockery of one of the four fundamental pillars on which Indian democracy stands.

Each minute of Parliament costs the Indian taxpayer about Rs 29,000. Last year’s budget session in the lower house, as per an analysis by the think tank PRS Legislative Research, was the least productive during the Modi government because four in five hours were lost due to commotion. In effect, Rs 198 crore of taxpayer money went down the drain thanks to disruptions in the Lok Sabha. Such waste of public money and time, in a country like India where a vast majority remains poor, is morally criminal. A good number of important bills and issues concerning common citizens get overlooked due to repeated interruptions and din caused by politicians of all parties.

It is the duty of every member of Parliament to have a civilized debate, patiently listen to each other, inform citizens and allow democracy to function normally instead of running down the sanctity of the institution.