Vice-President Emphasizes Collaborative Efforts for Positive Legislative Direction
The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar emphasized on the responsibility of all members of Legislature to work together, transcending party lines, for the progress of the nation. Recognising the importance of the Legislature as the fount for the progress and development of a nation, the Vice-President said that the Legislature plays a key role in ensuring a balance among all organs of State, including the Executive and the Judiciary.
Addressing newly elected Members of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in Jaipur today, the Vice-President cautioned against deliberate tactics of disruption and disturbance. He noted that such strategies have ‘low shelf life’, and lead to loss of opportunities to hold the Government accountable in the House. Often, people take to the streets with certain grievances because such issues are not given due attention on the floor of the House, the Vice-President underlined.
Referring to the Opposition as the ‘spinal strength’ of a House, the Vice-President said that members should recognise differing perspectives as being intended for public welfare, instead of assuming them to be points of conflict. National interest must be given prime importance, and must not be viewed through a political lens, he said.
Calling upon political parties to respect the non-partisanship of the Presiding Officer, the Vice-President urged them to allow people’s representatives to freely present their viewpoints before the House. Encouraging legislators to emulate the Constituent Assembly in their functioning, the Vice-President appealed to them to uphold ‘dialogue, debate, discussion and deliberation’ as the foundation of Parliamentary democracy.
Lauding the strides made by India across domains, the Vice-President stressed that this was an outcome not only of affirmative role played by legislators, but also of the ‘blood and sweat’ of Indian citizens. Acknowledging the role being played by the Executive in translating laws into action for public welfare, Shri Dhankhar said that people’s representatives and civil servants must work together in a spirit of cooperation, to take the country forward.
Highlighting the illustrations in the Constitution of India, the Vice-President noted the depiction of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman in the section on Fundamental Rights, and that of Lord Krishna imparting the wisdom of the Gita to Arjuna in the section on Directive Principles of State Policy. S
hri Dhankhar expressed his surprise that such key sections are left out of the books, and not brought to people’s attention.
hri Dhankhar expressed his surprise that such key sections are left out of the books, and not brought to people’s attention.
Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Bhajanlal Sharma, Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Shri Vasudev Devnani, and members of Parliament were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.