VP rues derailed debates in Houses

HYDERABAD: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday expressed concern over frequent disruption of debates in Legislatures and Parliament, a decline in standards of discussions and poor attendance of MPs and MLAs. He stressed the need for upholding values in public life and attending Parliament and Legislature sessions. He was speaking in Hyderabad at the centenary celebrations of former Parliamentarian and educationist, Nookala Narotham Reddy.  

The Vice President said that the recent incidents in certain State legislatures were disheartening. Pointing out that “disruption means derailing debate and derailing democracy and the nation”, he cautioned elected representatives that people will get disillusioned if the same trend continues.

Naidu said that the conduct in Parliament and Legislatures must be in pursuit of ‘3Ds’ - Discussion, Debate and Decision. He said that at no point the House should become a platform for disruption and that obstructing the House’s functioning hurts the cause of public interest. Praising the quality of debates when Narotham Reddy was part of Parliament, Naidu suggested that the actions of elected representatives in the House should reflect people’s aspirations.

The Vice President further said that the criticism by members should be constructive and they should not resort to personal attacks against each other. He appealed to the public to elect people who possess the 4Cs – Calibre, Conduct, Capacity and Character.Speaking on the New Education Policy, the Vice President said that educational institutions should restructure themselves and bring in holistic and multidisciplinary approach to education. He also stressed on the importance of mother tongue and its usage by the elected representatives.