NEW DELHI: Vice-President of India and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday expressed serious concerns over the “weaponising of disruptions” in the “temple of democracy”. He said that constant disruptions and unrest are against democratic values.
“There can be no excuse for not allowing the Parliament to function. The absence of the question hour can’t be justified,” the Vice-President said. His remarks came in the backdrop of both the Houses of the Parliament facing disruptions in the first two days of the ongoing monsoon session, over several issues including the Manipur violence.
Speaking at the centenary year convocation ceremony of Jamia Millia Islamia, Dhankar further said, “When there is a disruption in the Parliament on a particular day, there cannot be a question hour. The question hour is a mechanism to generate accountability and transparency in governance.
Not having the question hour can never be rationalised when we think in terms of democratic values and good governance.” He added that the government is bound to answer every question as it benefits itself too.
“Surely, democracy cannot be about disruption and disturbance! I am pained and anguished to indicate to you that disruption and disturbance have been ‘weaponised’ as a strategy to taint the temple of democracy,” he asserted.
He said that the street demonstrations to challenge the Rule of Law are not hallmarks of good governance and democracy. “But turning disagreement into hostility is no less than a curse for democracy,” the Vice-President said.