Parliament’s Job Is Passing Laws, Not Obstructing Proceedings: Pranab

Making a political statement, President Pranab Mukherjee has said that the Parliament’s job is to enact laws and frequent obstructions in its functioning undermines its constitutional responsibility.

"There is a growing tendency to resort to disruption as a means of parliamentary intervention. Dissent is a recognised democratic expression, but disruption leads to loss of time and resources, and paralyses policy formulation. The cardinal principle of parliamentary democracy is that the majority has the mandate to rule while Opposition has the right to oppose, expose, and if the numbers permit, to depose. But, under no circumstances should there be disruption of the proceedings," the President said.

“A noisy minority cannot be allowed to gag a patient majority," he added.

Delivering his speech on 'Parliament and Policymaking' to a group of students and teachers, President Mukherjee said, "The framers also deemed it necessary to impose certain restrictions on this extraordinary legislative power by constitutionally mandating replacement of such ordinances within a time frame by the legislators."

His comments came in the backdrop of several ordinances issued by the Narendra Modi-led government due to its lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha and frequent protests by the opposition over religious conversions.

Reacting on President Mukherjee’s comments, Congress leader Manish Tewari said, "The essence of a democracy is reflection of the views of minority in the mainstream of the national discourse.” BJP declined to comment on the issue.

It is pertinent to mention here that before becoming the President of India, Mukherjee was a member of Congress.