BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha member HD Deve Gowda has expressed concern over the persistent disruption in Parliament caused by opposition parties, particularly members of the Congress. In this regard, he has written to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, urging her to advise her party members to exercise restraint and uphold parliamentary decorum.
According to him, members have been repeatedly disrupting proceedings by raising slogans inside and outside the House, displaying placards, shouting specific names, staging protests, and forcing adjournments of the session. He cautioned that such actions undermine the dignity of Parliament and weaken the foundational principles of India’s parliamentary democracy.
In his letter to Sonia, Gowda said he has spent nearly 90% of his political life in the opposition in his 65 years of political journey. While opposition parties certainly have the right to express dissent, he emphasised that such expressions must not violate established rules, traditions, or the dignity of Parliament.
He remarked that the current behaviour of some opposition members had caused him considerable distress. Even while serving in the opposition, he said, he had always made conscious efforts to uphold parliamentary traditions and maintain the dignity of the institution. He stressed that the success of an opposition leader lies in conducting political engagement without crossing the boundaries set by parliamentary rules and procedures.
He also criticised the practice of staging demonstrations on the steps of Parliament. He remarked that sitting on the steps of Parliament to drink tea and eat biscuits or pakodas is not appropriate conduct, he said.