Naidu seeks unity among parliamentarians on issues of national importance
New Delhi, Sep 2: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday expressed his "unhappiness" over disruptions in Parliament and sought unity among parliamentarians of all political parties over issues of national importance.
"I am a little unhappy that our Parliament is not functioning as it should be. I have not hesitated in recording in the book just now released my disappointment over the functioning of the Rajya Sabha during the first two sessions that I have presided over," Naidu said on the occasion of the release of his book "Moving on, Moving forward: A year in Office".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the book in the presence of former Prime Ministers H.D. Deve Gowda and Manmohan Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Union Minister Arun Jaitley.
Referring to the recently concluded monsoon session, the Vice President said that new tidings were seen in the session raising hopes that the trend would continue in future.
"So, there is a hope but we need to stay on course. My earnest endeavour has been to facilitate informed and dignified debates befitting the stature of this hallowed institution. I sincerely feel that all the political parties should come together, transcending political considerations, on issues of national importance."
Naidu said the last session was "rightly called the session for social justice".
He advised the lawmakers to consider and pass important legislations reflecting their collective commitment to social justice, and stressed on the need to move towards ensuring proportional representation of all groups, especially those who have till now been under-represented, in order to build a more inclusive society.
He hoped political parties would consider dispassionately the issues related to women empowerment and legislate measures "through reservation in all spheres of public life including legislatures".
In an apparent reference to the pending triple talaq bill, Naidu said: "We must move towards ending discrimination against women on the basis of religion and other factors."
Outlining some reforms for the better functioning of Parliament and state legislatures, Naidu said: "Political parties must evolve a consensus on the code of conduct for their members both inside the legislature and out of it. Otherwise people might soon lose faith in our political processes and institutions.
"Related to this is the issue of political defections. If a member desires to change party, he must do so by resigning from the membership of the House. The anti-defection laws should be implemented in letter and spirit expeditiously, within three months."
Similarly, the Vice President said the election petitions and criminal cases against political leaders needed to be disposed of within a reasonable time frame by constituting, if required, special benches of High Courts and the Supreme Court.
He also emphasized on the need to consider and decide upon a national policy on the Upper House in the state legislatures, and that "all efforts should be geared towards creation of a cleaner polity and transparent people centred governance".
Describing the media as a close and invaluable partner in strengthening the democratic culture, Naidu said it would be useful if the temptation of giving more importance to disturbance and disruption than to constructive contribution made by the members in the House can be overcome.
Calling for greater focus on agriculture, he said that instead of depending on imported products people must adopt the culture of growing these in their land.
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'At least come for my funeral...,' Cong chief Kharge's emotional pitch at rally on home turf
Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Apr 24: Seeking to strike an emotional chord with the people of his home district of Kalaburagi, Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday appealed to them to at least attend his funeral if they thought he worked for them even though they do not wish to vote for the party candidate here in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking at a poll rally at Afzalpur in this district, the 81-year-old also said that if they (people) did not vote for the Congress candidate, he would think that he did not have "any place" in Kalaburagi anymore.
The Congress has fielded Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from Kalaburagi, against BJP’s sitting MP Umesh Jadhav.
"If you miss your vote this time (if you don't vote for the Congress candidate), I will think that I don’t have any place here for me and I could not win your heart," said Kharge, who won the Lok Sabha elections here in 2009 and 2014, but lost in 2019.
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"Whether you vote for us (Congress) or not, but at least come to my funeral if you think that I have done for Kalaburagi," the Congress chief said.
He also said that he would continue in politics till his last breath to "defeat" the BJP and RSS ideology.
"I am born for politics. Whether or not I will contest the election, I will strive till my last breath to save the Constitution and democracy of this country. I will not retire from politics," Kharge asserted.
Explaining further, he said retirement happens from a position but one should not retire from his/her principles. "I am born to defeat the ideology of the BJP and RSS and not to surrender before them."
He also advised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who shared the dais with him, to follow his principles. "I tell Siddaramaiah repeatedly that you may retire as CM or MLA, but you cannot retire from politics till you defeat the ideology of the BJP and RSS."
