Oppn seeks neutrality as Naidu takes office as V-P
NEWDELHI: India’s new Vice President Venkaiah Naidu sent a clear message that he doesn’t want disruptions in Rajya Sabha even as a section of the opposition parties appealed to him to remain neutral as the Chairman of the House. Many members also expressed hope that like his predecessor Hamid Ansari, Naidu will not allow bills to be passed amid din. Naidu, however, maintained that the question of passing bills won’t arise if there is no disruption. “It can happen when there are no disruptions,”he quipped.
Hours after he was sworn in as the 13th Vice President, Naidu said disruptions have “serious implications for our parliamentary democracy” in his first speech in the Upper House as its Chair. “Obstruction and disruption of the proceedings is increasingly being chosen as the first parliamentary option in our legislatures across the country…. This option needs to be immediately replaced by a quest for effective debates,” he said.
Meanwhile, finance minister Arun Jaitley said, “Obviously, the Opposition is naturally concerned that it must have a say. It is undoubtedly true. Parliament is a forum.
We have also been in the Opposition in the past and we have always felt that Parliament is a legitimate forum where in discussions and debates, the Opposition does get a time and, maybe, some extra time in order to put forward its views. But, ultimately, there is a balancing act that has to be performed and the balancing act is that matters of public interest, which the Opposition wants to raise or some other members want to raise, must be given adequate time.”