As the Monsoon session of Parliament approaches, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has made a passionate appeal for parliamentary decorum, urging Members of Parliament to refrain from interrupting their colleagues during speeches.
This call for mutual respect and order comes in the wake of recent disruptions during key parliamentary addresses. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju conveyed Singh’s message to reporters following an all-party meeting on Sunday. “Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appealed that we are committed to strengthening democracy and when any member speaks in the Parliament, we shouldn’t interfere and interrupt,” Rijiju stated.
The minister highlighted a specific incident from the special session where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the Motion of Thanks to the President was interrupted in both houses of Parliament. Singh emphasized that such interruptions are detrimental to parliamentary democracy, particularly when the Prime Minister is speaking. The all-party meeting saw participation from various political parties, including Congress, AIMIM, RJD, JD(U), AAP, SP, and NCP.
Rijiju expressed gratitude to the floor leaders for their constructive suggestions ahead of the session, stressing that smooth functioning of Parliament is a shared responsibility of both the government and the opposition. Several regional concerns were raised during the meeting. JD(U) and YSRCP representatives demanded special category status for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh respectively. BJD leader Sasmit Patra also sought special category status for Odisha. Interestingly, as noted by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, the TDP remained silent on the matter of special status for Andhra Pradesh. The upcoming Monsoon session, scheduled to begin on Monday and run until August 12, is expected to be contentious. The opposition appears united in its intent to challenge the NDA government on various issues, including the recent NEET paper leak case and railway safety concerns.
The government plans to present six bills during the 19-sitting session, including one to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act. Additionally, Parliament will be asked to approve the budget for Jammu and Kashmir, which is currently under central rule. As the political stage is set for heated debates and crucial legislation, the Defence Minister’s call for parliamentary decorum serves as a timely reminder of the importance of constructive dialogue in India’s democratic process. The coming weeks will reveal whether this appeal for mutual respect will translate into more orderly proceedings in the halls of India’s Parliament.
