BHUBANESWAR: With some partners of INDIA bloc announcing to boycott the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) for examining three contentious bills seeking the removal of prime minister, chief ministers, central and state ministers if they remained in custody for 30 days, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said that he will make his best efforts to convince the opposition parties to nominate their members to the panel.
Expressing grave concern over the washout of the monsoon session of the Parliament and rising disruption of the proceedings, Birla said, “Planned disruption of the House was never in our tradition and not healthy for a democracy.”
This observation of the Lok Sabha speaker came during a media-briefing here after the two-day national conference of Chairpersons of Committees of Parliament and State Legislatures on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Birla said, “The Parliament is for debate and discussion. Agreement and disagreement are natural process in a democracy but our collective efforts should be to ensure that the House functions smoothly and people have lot of expectations from their elected representatives.”
The Lok Sabha Speaker said that all members should follow the great tradition of the Parliament and maintain highest standard in use of language, in their thought and behaviour. All members should behave in a dignified manner as the entire nation is looking up to them.
Noting that the opposition parties should not break these traditions by boycotting the JPC which was formed for larger debate, Birla said, “There has been difference in INDIA bloc over boycotting the JPC. I will try my best to keep the parliamentary traditions alive and extend my further invitation to opposition political parties to nominate their members to the JPC which was formed to examine the provisions of the Constitution (130 Amendment) Bill.”
Birla also dismissed Opposition allegations of acting in a partisan manner and said he has always provided ample opportunity and time to the members to participate in the proceedings.
He expressed confidence that the “Bhubaneswar Agenda 2025”, will act as a framework for action, guiding the work of Parliament and state legislatures in the years to come. The recommendations emerging from the two-day conference will provide constructive guidance for course correction and stressed that both central and state governments must work in tandem to ensure that welfare schemes reach the last citizen, especially those from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.