Agreement, disagreement, soul of parliamentary democracy: Lok Sabha Speaker

Om Birla, Speaker, Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said agreement and disagreement are the soul of parliamentary democracy and urged members to use the forum of state assemblies to express people’s hopes and aspirations.

Addressing the newly elected members of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, Birla said it is very important that dissent is expressed within the established parameters of parliamentary dignity and decorum.

“When it comes to national interest, all members must work collectively to achieve that goal without being guided by party politics,” he said.

Birla said the dignity of the Speaker of the House was of utmost importance and suggested that the Finance Ministry and the Opposition should respect the Speaker’s decisions.

“Respect for the president will strengthen people’s confidence in democratic institutions,” he said.

Birla advised the members to denounce the tactic of disruption and adopt the path of debate and discussion. “Fruitful debates in the House of Representatives will pave the way for solving people’s problems.”

Birla said lawmakers need to familiarize themselves with the issues and rules to play their role effectively.

(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

First print: January 20, 2024 | 9:31 PM IST