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Title : Regarding participation of Opposition in the Proceedings of House.
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, as you find, I am sorry that hon. Members of the Opposition are not here. Once again, I take this opportunity of making a request to all the hon. Members in the Opposition to please come and participate in the proceedings of the House to which they are entitled and I consider that without the participation of the Opposition, parliamentary democracy cannot function adequately. Therefore, I, once again, make a request that they should join us. Let them exercise their rights as Members of Parliament.
श्री देवेन्द्र प्रसाद यादव (झंझारपुर) : अध्यक्ष महोदय, भारतीय संसदीय इतिहास में पहली बार इस तरह का विपक्ष द्वारा गैर-जिम्मेदाराना रवैया अपनाया गया है।
MR. SPEAKER: Let us not complicate the matter further.
श्री देवेन्द्र प्रसाद यादव : मैं निवेदन करना चाहता हूं कि विपक्ष द्वारा सरकार का विरोध हो, आलोचना और खिंचाई हो, इसका विपक्ष को पूर्ण अधिकार है। संसदीय लोकतंत्र में यह आसन इस सदन का सर्वोच्च आसन है। यह केवल स्पीकर का विरोध नहीं है बल्कि सर्वोच्च संसद के आसन की गरिमा के खिलाफ आचरण है। मैं समझता हूं कि विपक्ष या .* द्वारा इसकी शुरुआत की गई है…( व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: Please do not take any name.
श्री देवेन्द्र प्रसाद यादव : विपक्ष द्वारा आसन के खिलाफ जो आचरण सार्वजनिक रूप से, प्रेस में, इलैक्ट्रॉनिक मीडिया में और समाचार पत्रों द्वारा किया जा रहा है, ऐसा करके नई परिस्थिति उत्पन्न की जा रही है। मैं इसीलिए निवेदन करना चाहता हूं कि माननीय सदस्यों द्वारा संसद के सर्वोच्च आसन की गरिमा की रक्षा करना उनका अधिकार है। आप सदन के कस्टोडियन हैं, संरक्षक हैं। यह सदन की मर्यादा का प्रश्न है। यह न केवल अभूतपूर्व स्थिति है बल्कि संसदीय लोकतंत्र का खुल्लमखुल्ला असम्मान भी है। यही एक आसन है, जिस के माध्यम से हम अपनी बात रखते हैं। आज करोड़ों लोग संसद की ओर देख रहे हैं। यह
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* Not Recorded
सदन आम लोगों का दर्पण है, जहां हम आम जनता की समस्याओं को प्रतबिम्बित करते हैं। सदन का अपमान और उसके आसन का अपमान करके, आज अदभुत स्थिति उत्पन्न हो गई है। इसलिए मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि ऐसा करके संसदीय लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था को खतरा पहुंचाने का काम हुआ है। यह संसदीय लोकतंत्र को खत्म करने का एक निश्चित प्रयास है।
MR. SPEAKER: You have given your opinion.
श्री देवेन्द्र प्रसाद यादव : फंडामैंटल ताकतों द्वारा गलत तरीके से देश के संसदीय लोकतंत्र पर प्रश्न चिन्ह लगाया जा रहा है। इसलिए संसदीय लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था की रक्षा की जाए।
MR. SPEAKER: Let us not complicate the matter further. I am hoping that they would come and participate in the proceedings of the House. There is some misunderstanding obviously. I did not want to insult anybody. There may be some impression that I was critical of them.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Mr. Speaker, Sir, the way the main Opposition Party is behaving inside the House from the very beginning is most unfortunate. Their main attempt is to disrupt the proceedings of the House. Even after two years, they are not in a position to accept the defeat.
MR. SPEAKER: In their absence, let us not get into all this.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Sir, what are they doing? I am in the House for the last 26 years, but I have never seen slogans being raised against the Chair not only inside the House but also outside. The comment made by the Opposition leaders is very unfortunate.
Sir, we are here to reflect the feelings and the problems faced by the people of our country.
MR. SPEAKER: Let me go into Question Hour now. You just associate. It amounts to suspension of Question Hour without any notice. We cannot have a debate.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Sir, we are not getting an opportunity to reflect the views of the people of our country… (Interruptions)Sir, if there is no discussion, if there is no debate, how can we raise the matters relating to the problems of the people? It is very unfortunate the way they are behaving… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please. I will call you one by one. How can I call both of you together?
प्रो. राम गोपाल यादव (सम्भल) : सर, जब से स्पीकर का पद अस्तित्व में आया, तब से लेकर अब तक पार्लियामैन्ट्री डेमोक्रेसी में इससे ज्यादा महत्वपूर्ण कोई दूसरा पद नहीं है और ब्रिटेन में यहां तक कहा जाता है कि ‘Once a Speaker, always a Speaker.’ – चाहे जो भी सरकार आये या जाए, अगर वह अपने मन से नहीं हटना चाहता तो he will remain the Speaker.
इसलिए व्यवस्था में यह होना कि विपक्ष या किसी अन्य व्यक्ति द्वारा अपनी बात कहकर सदन का बहिष्कार कर जाना एक अलग बात है – उसे उसका अधिकार है। अगर वह अहसास करता है कि उसकी बात नहीं सुनी जा रही है तो वह ऐसा कर सकता है। लेकिन स्पीकर पर एस्पर्शन या लांछन लगाते हुए सदन का बहिष्कार करना, इससे हमारी पार्टी अपने को सम्बद्ध नहीं कर सकती। हम इसकी निन्दा करते हैं।
श्री राजेश वर्मा : माननीय अध्यक्ष जी, समूचे विपक्ष के द्वारा जिस प्रकार से चेयर के प्रति एक स्टेटमैन्ट जारी किया गया है कि हम स्पीकर का विरोध करते हैं, मेरी बहुजन समाज पार्टी उसका विरोध और निन्दा करती है। मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि सदन के अंदर एक स्वस्थ परम्परा होनी चाहिए, हर चीज के ऊपर चर्चा करनी चाहिए और नियमों के तहत आप चर्चा करें। मैं कहना चाहूंगा कि यदि कोई महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दा आता है और समूचा विपक्ष उस पर चर्चा करने से मुकरता है, चर्चा में भाग नहीं लेना चाहता, सरकार पर गलत आरोप लगाता है और अध्यक्षपीठ के प्रति इस तरह से आरोप लगाता है तो यह बहुत निन्दनीय है। मेरा दल इसका भरपूर विरोध करता है।
MR. SPEAKER: You can associate, if you want to.
SHRI A. KRISHNASWAMY (SRIPERUMBUDUR): Thank you Sir. I received a detailed letter from the hon. Speaker that you have written about the functioning of the House. It is unexpected and unfortunate that for the past two years continuously the … (Not recorded) is indulging in slogan mongering in the House. It is unfortunate.
MR. SPEAKER: Do not mention the name of the Party.
SHRI A. KRISHNASWAMY : Sir, they can boycott the House. But now they have started boycotting the Chair, which is respected by the whole country. So, I condemn the attitude and behaviour of the Opposition Parties on behalf of the DMK Party. Sir, the Temple of Democracy is being ridiculed by the act of the Opposition Parties.
SHRI GURUDAS DASGUPTA (PANSKURA): Sir, I express my deep disappointment and deep sense of anguish at the absence of the entire Opposition from the House. The Opposition has a right to do what they think to be better. They can also boycott, but that is not the issue. The point is that the Parliament cannot function without a fruitful Opposition.
We are supporting the Government, but on many occasions, we have deep resentment against the Government policies. We criticise the Government, we even go out of the House. That is a part of the parliamentary functioning and system. But, unfortunately, the main Opposition Party has also a responsibility. That is my point. If the Government has a responsibility towards the parliamentary system, the Opposition equally has a responsibility to run the House, to run the system because they were in the Government. In the future, they may also be in the Government. Therefore, let us not work to wreck the parliamentary system… (Interruptions) That is separate. I am speaking of principles. They should not be so sensitive… (Interruptions) The principle is the Opposition can go to the Government.
MR. SPEAKER: Please be brief.
SHRI GURUDAS DASGUPTA : Let us not weaken the parliamentary system, go close to Pakistan and destroy the Parliament in the overall interest of the country.
PROF. M. RAMADASS (PONDICHERRY): Sir, Pattali Makkal Katchi expresses its deep concern and anguish over the boycott of the Opposition Parties. It is quite unfortunate. They should not have cast aspersions on the Speaker, which is the supreme institution of parliamentary democracy… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I am sure, they would reconsider their decision. I have expressed my unhappiness and I am again and again, also sitting here, requesting to the Opposition that they join.
PROF. M. RAMADASS : Therefore, the institutions like the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of the Speaker must be protected and there is no denigration of the Office of Speaker[Rs1] .They should constructively participate in all the deliberations. We have not seen a more liberal Speaker than you in allowing the Opposition to express all the views of the people. Therefore, I earnestly appeal to them to attend the House and participate in all the constructive deliberations of the House and contribute to the democratic development of the country.
MR. SPEAKER: Let us all appeal to them; let us request them to come and join.
SHRI OMAR ABDULLAH (SRINAGAR): On behalf of my Party, I would like to join with my colleagues and associate with everything that they have said before this.
We are also deeply disappointed at the attitude of our colleagues, our friends in the Opposition, and the way in which they have targeted the institution of the Speaker because of their own political frustration and their own political anguish. I believe, Sir, – and evidence bears us out – the fact that your Chair is above every other seat in this House, is a reflection of the fact that the Speaker’s Office is above politics, above division, and above the sort of sloganeering and shouting that we have seen. As a junior colleague and a junior Member of this House, all I can do is to earnestly appeal to my friends, whom I was a part of not so long ago, to please reconsider their decision, to please look at the fact that by targeting the Speaker, they are targeting the institution of Parliament. By targeting the Speaker, they are weakening Parliament and by targeting the Speaker they are weakening themselves. All I can ask them to do is to function as a responsible Opposition Party, to come back and do the job for the people of the country.
MR. SPEAKER: I am again requesting them to come back.
DR. C. KRISHNAN (POLLACHI): Sir, I am deeply aggrieved by the way in which the Opposition has abstained itself from the proceedings of the House. Yesterday, they demonstrated in front of our hon. Speaker, which has to be respected as the Chair of the people of the country. This is most regrettable and that should be condemned in the future. This sort of thing should not recur.
MR. SPEAKER: They are all our colleagues. We shall work together; I have no doubt about it.
DR. C. KRISHNAN : That sort of sloganeering has degraded the Parliamentary forum itself. I wish that this shall not be repeated by them in future at least.
MR. SPEAKER: If there is any misunderstanding, it will always be cleared.
DR. M. JAGANNATH (NAGAR KURNOOL): Respected Speaker, Sir, on behalf of TDP, I associate myself with the sentiments expressed by all our fellow Parliamentarians and the political parties. TDP deeply resents the way the aspersions were cast at the Speaker’s Chair. As Your Excellency feels, in any Parliamentary democracy, the Opposition has got as much responsibility as the Ruling Party. They have got a right to boycott or stage a walk out, but the way they have cast aspersions on the Speaker, TDP resents them.
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SHRI SUBRATA BOSE (BARASAT): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I associate myself with the views and opinions expressed by all the hon. Members of the House today. I would only request the Opposition to come back to the House and cooperate with the hon. Speaker so that the House can be run fruitfully and full discussions can be held on all the subjects. I shall cite an example that yesterday there had to be a curtailment of the discussion under Rule 193, which is really very unfortunate. I again associate myself with the views expressed by the hon. Speaker.[r2]
श्री रामदास आठवले (पंढरपुर) : अध्यक्ष महोदय, विपक्ष द्वारा माननीय अध्यक्ष के विरोध में कोई बात करना और लोक सभा से बायकॉट करना संविधान के खिलाफ है। मैं विपक्ष की निन्दा का प्रस्ताव यहां रखता हूँ और हम सब लोगों को उनकी निन्दा का प्रस्ताव यहां पास करना चाहिए। डैमोक्रेसी को मज़बूत करने के लिए विपक्ष की यहां आवश्यकता है। मैं विपक्ष से अपील करता हूं कि वे अंदर आएं और बाहर ही जाना है तो हमेशा के लिए बाहर रहें। …( व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: It is a very painful situation for me that the entire Opposition is absent. I have appealed to them. I am sure that they will reconsider. I have, on my behalf, repeatedly assured, and I have repeatedly sought cooperation from all sections of the House. If there is any mistake, if there is anything we can always sort it out by discussion amongst us. I may have committed mistake. Somebody else may commit mistake. It is not that it cannot happen. Amongst the friends, it can always happen.
SHRI K. FRANCIS GEORGE (IDUKKI): Sir, I, on behalf of my Party, I associate with the sentiments expressed by the leaders of various parties here. It is very unfortunate and quite unprecedented in the history of our Parliament that the Opposition is boycotting the House protesting against the rulings of the Chair. That is very unfortunate. It should never happen in a democracy. Along with the leaders of various parties, I would very fervently request our friends in the Opposition to participate in the proceedings of the House.
MR. SPEAKER: The Leader of the House wants to say something.
THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I share the sentiments expressed by the hon. leaders of different political parties and groups. I am extremely sad that the principal Opposition party and their associates are abstaining themselves from the participation in the House as a mark of protest against the Chair. This is most unfortunate. The Opposition can have differences, should have differences with the Government for certain action of the Government. It is understandable if they boycott the House or in any other form they express their resentment but it is really painful that if they take this decision to launch their protest against the Speaker, who is the custodian of the prestige, honour and dignity of the House as a whole.
As the Leader of the House, I would, most respectfully, appeal to the Leader of the Opposition and all the members of the various Opposition Groups, “Please come back, participate in the debate and make your own contributions.” Parliament is nothing but for debate, discussions, and, therefore, they can make their contributions effectively in participating in whatever manner they want. I would not like to go into the stories of the past. I will request personally over phone the Leader of the Opposition to come back. I am appealing to the Leader of the Opposition and all leaders of various Opposition parties, who have taken this unfortunate decision, to reconsider their decision, to come back as soon as possible and to participate in the deliberations of the House.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, and at the same time, I, on behalf of my Party, would like to reiterate our total trust and confidence in you and the way you have conducted the business of the House since your assumption of this Office.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity.
MR. SPEAKER: Thank you. I am thankful to all sides of the House who are present here. You may have reservations but we cannot function without the participation of the Opposition. I feel that our parliamentary democracy means and involves the participation of the Opposition.
I, once again, make my request to them and appeal to them to please join. They will have their rights to discharge and I am sure they have to exercise, and I am sure that they will be able to do that.
Now, let us take up Question Hour.
Q. No. 221 is postponed. Q. No. 222 is postponed.
SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE : Sir, please allow my Question. … (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have only postponed it. It is not killed.