Coordination Between Treasury Benches And Oppn Needed For Democracy To Flourish: VP Dhankhar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said members of state assemblies should be well-versed with the provisions of the Constitution.

New Delhi: Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday underlined the need for coordination between the treasury and opposition benches for democracy to flourish and bring a positive outcome.

Addressing newly-elected legislators of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly here, Dhankhar said the power of the Opposition lies in the smooth conduct of the House, and that the criticism of treasury benches should be done in a creative way and should be "solution-oriented".

"A cordial atmosphere is needed in the House and there shouldn't be any competition between members. This is a continuous process of learning and new members should follow the old members," the vice president said.

Dhankhar said members of state assemblies should be well-versed with the provisions of the Constitution.

"Legislators enjoy the power of framing new laws fulfilling the aspirations of citizens, and the change is inevitable as per the contemporary times," he said.

Every right carries the responsibility and every word spoken by legislative members is scripted as history, the vice president added.

"The power of Opposition lies in the smooth conduct of the legislature. The people of the country, instead of disruptions, want their issues to be raised in the House. The criticism of the treasury benches should be done in a creative way and it should be solution-oriented," the Rajya Sabha chairman said.

A huge row erupted last month after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee derisively mimicked Dhankhar during the Opposition's protest on the stairs of Parliament against the suspension of MPs, drawing strong condemnation from the ruling BJP.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker Satish Mahana, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also addressed newly-elected legislators on the first day of the two-day orientation program. 

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