Parliament's independence must be preserved: Sonia

Reflecting on the journey of Parliament, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has said while its integrity and independence must be preserved at all cost, it must not only be a source of law and power but also justice and compassion.

Participating in a discussion in the Lok Sabha to celebrate the 60th year of the first sitting of Parliament in independent India on Sunday, she also said that members' conduct must rise to the highest ethical standards.

Gandhi said the greatest triumph of the country in the last sixty years of its independence is that the "aam aadmi has become the heart and soul" of Indian democracy.

Noting that the journey of Indian Parliament has "not always been smooth or without challenge", Gandhi said an anniversary is also a moment of reflection to consider the members' role and place in the rich fabric of the nation's life and history.

"The integrity and independence of Parliament must be preserved and protected at all cost, with no room for compromise. Our conduct must rise to the highest ethical standards that were followed and demanded by the founding fathers of our nation," she said.

The Congress President urged the members to resolve to make sure that Parliament embraces "not only the triumphs and joys of this but rids our people of the sorrows and sufferings that still blight their lives. This great institution must be not only a source of law and power but also of justice and compassion."

Gandhi said the poor and illiterate masses have "again and again voted with wisdom, they have voted with purpose, sometimes reaffirming their faith in those who govern them, sometimes voting them out."

Noting that India's freedom struggle reinvented the idea of democracy, Gandhi said, "If there is one thread running through these past six decades, it is that people's power is felt constantly at the highest levels of governance."

She said Indian social legislations have emerged as a global benchmark today and the laws enacted in last sixty years have especially protected the excluded and the marginalised.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress President said, "My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest."

She also paid tributes to the security personnel, who sacrificed their life in 2001 when Parliament had come under a terrorist attack.

Handful throttles "silent majority": Mukherjee

Leader of the Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday lamented that a handful of members throttle "silent majority" and called for a mechanism that will eliminate disruptions.

"On many occasions, this House has been tumultuous, tempers ran high, but disruptions were the least this House has adopted.”

"Because when we disrupt the House then it serves no purpose. We cannot hear. We cannot speak. Only a handful of members completely throttle the desire of a silent majority to speak," Mukherjee said, initiating the debate to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament.

Mukherjee said Parliament has acted as a "shock absorber" on several occasions and whenever there have been disputes, dissensions, the Lok Sabha has played a role in defusing it.

"Whenever there were tensions, disputes and dissensions, it has come to this House and under this great dome we have been able to defuse that on most occasions," he said.

Mukherjee noted there has been confrontation in the federal structure between various organs of the government and judiciary, executive and legislature.

"But over the years we have evolved a system and able to find an amicable solution," he said.

Endorsing the views of Mukherjee, BJP leader L K Advani said tolerance and understanding for each others' views and debates in Parliament can solve issues.

Highlighting the success of Indian parliamentary system, he said views of the opposition are given due understanding and respect.

"Parliament is a major example of that," he said adding that he endorsed the views of Mukherjee that differences can be resolved through debates.

Referring to famous thinker Charvak, Advani said his line of 'eat, drink and make merry' was understood and respected despite the fact that he challenged the traditional philosophy that you pay for your sins in the next birth.