UNNECESSARY DISRUPTIONS
This is in reference to the news report “Oppn parties stage protest in Parliament complex against suspension of 12 RS MPs”. Unfortunately, disruptions, walkouts and pandemonium have become regular features in our Parliament sessions. The ongoing winter session is no exception. Suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha members of the opposition parties in the winter session of Parliament has turned the spotlight on the use of disruption of proceedings once again. Sadly, because of disruptions by our MPs, important Bills tabled in Parliament are not allowed to be discussed, leading to loss of valuable man-hours with taxpayers’ money going to drains. Importantly, public money spent on running a parliamentary session is huge — over Rs.
2.5 lakh per minute, and in the monsoon session of the Parliament, convened in July 2021, Rs 133 crore was wasted over the ruckus, leading to a loss of about 83 per cent of valuable parliamentary hours. The Parliament is the platform where the executive is held accountable to the representatives of the people. That is where our representatives raise matters of public concern and seek the government’s attention. Hence, all parliamentarians belonging to the ruling party or Opposition, must equally share the responsibility of ensuring smooth conduct of the Parliament.
— KHOKAN DAS, KOLKATA via email
MORE DRAMA UNFOLDING
This is in reference to “Retained for the season”. IPL has made cricket a big global village, where each stakeholder wants to have a house. IPL has not only encouraged many other T20 leagues to flourish across the world but also transformed the way the shortest format of the game is played, and unearthed a plethora of young talent for all countries. Despite the fact that break-even takes at least 5-6 years, Sanjeev Goenka-led RPSG Ventures paid a whopping Rs 7,090 crore for the new Lucknow franchise. Later, it came into light that he has told his team to be ready to shell out anything to get a team. It sums up the whole issue. And since this is going to be the last mega auction, we need to brace ourselves for more drama and excitement as money will be spent crazily by the franchises for the players who are in the pool.
— BAL GOVIND, NOIDA via email