Parliamentary system woes....

Folks you might be knowing that our parliament's both houses winter sessions closed without even a single discussion. Everyday, both houses got adjourned to the next day because the oppositions interrupted the houses in favour to their J.P.C demand. From three days, Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly is being obstructed by the oppositions in favour of their case withdrawal demand.

So I feel that its time we review our Parliamentary system and the current & future scenarios.

Gone are those days where representatives used to consider parliament as a temple. Now we hardly find a leader who tries to voice up for his constituency concerns. These days political parties and leaders are using it as a venue to hit the next day headlines. Oppositions bring out a hot controversy to corner the government and the government either retaliates or remains silent. This causes a turmoil in the house and it gets adjourned. Many other important problems of the people will remain unsolved.

"I am very worried over the future of parliamentary system" - Dr. Manmohan Singh

If the above words came out of a critic, we can ignore them. But the fact that World's largest Democracy's leader voiced out that opinion will irk the democracy supporters. Parliamentary system is key to democracy. If parliament sessions turn ineffective then the whole nation is at loss as key issues wont come on for discussion. Indian constitution has conceded Parliament and legislature assemblies many rights and at the same time entrusted them with various responsibilities.

Parliamentary time is very important and it shouldn't be wasted on creating sensations. If we analyse the time misuse by various parties, our heart skips a beat. We will find that all parties put together waste more than 50% of time, on average. The largest opposition takes the lead followed by various other smaller oppositions. An opposition is considered to be stronger if it blocks the house activities for most of the time. Both governments and oppositions are responsible for the current plight of the system.

Governments must try to address the opposition's concerns without brushing them away with their numeric strength. At the same time, Oppositions must stop creating sensations. Oppositions must realize that Parliament or assembly time is of more value to them than to government.

"Opposition are at loss if assembly gets adjourned. Government has many venues to take its view into the people, that's not the case with oppositions. Assembly is their only venue to express their views on current situations"- Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh.

Hence opposition must realize that if it blocks the assembly, it is making itself to bleed. The opposition has every right to show its agitation in the Parliament or assembly and pressurize the Government to answer their queries. But if the government fails to address their questions, then instead of obstructing the houses for days together, oppositions can put that issue aside and bring on some other important topics to discussion. The opposition can later bash up the Government for not answering their questions in 'praja darbar'. In this communications era, that's not quite difficult.

Otherwise we will see it very often that houses get adjourned discussing nothing. This does no good to the nation. Let us hope that at least from next time, parliament sessions turn out to be fruitful.

Comments are welcome....