AS PROCEEDINGS of Parliament moved to its new building, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday called for burying the strategy of “weaponising” disturbances and disruptions in parliamentary functioning, saying these are antithetical to democratic values. Addressing a function to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India in the iconic Central Hall of the old Parliament building, he also called for emulating the exemplary conduct and decorum of the members of the Constituent Assembly. Dhankhar said that the time has come to give up the justification of transgression of conduct and outrageous disregard of rules in the temples of democracy by making reference to past instances.

 

“As we march into the new Parliament building, we must enhance cooperation and consensual approach. Time for us to bid farewell to confrontational stance and resolve to ever keep national interest uppermost,” he told the gathering of parliamentarians in the central hall. “Time to bury the strategy of weaponising disturbance and disruptions in parliamentary functioning as these are antithetical to democratic values and can never have the sanction of the people – our ultimate masters,” Dhankhar said.

 

“Time has come to give up once and for all the premise of justifying the transgression of conduct and outrageous disregard of rules in the temples of democracy by making reference to past instances,” he added. The Vice President said, “In this very chamber, the members of the Constituent Assembly embarked upon the journey to accomplish the daunting task of drafting the Constitution.” The Rajya Sabha Chairman said the deliberations in the Constituent Assembly in this theatre exemplified decorum and healthy debate. “Contentious issues were negotiated in a spirit of consensus with scholarly debate and spirited deliberations. We need to emulate the exemplary conduct of our founding fathers,” he noted. He also recalled the final speech of Dr B R Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly.