Democracy is the nature of India: Narendra Modi at 82nd All India Presiding Officers' Conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday emphasised the need for everyone from parliamentarians to the common man to give primacy to their duties, saying this is the mantra to speed up India’s development by many times from the pace it has grown since Independence. Addressing the inaugural session of the 82nd All India Presiding Officers' Conference virtually, he also called for collective efforts, including from states, to take the country to new heights of progress and cited the fight against COVID-19 as a “historic” example of ‘sabka prayas’ (everyone’s effort). With Parliament often witnessing disruptions over a variety of issues, Modi said conduct of lawmakers should be in line with Indian values. Traditions and systems of the Houses of our legislatures should be inherently Indian, he said, pitching for policies and laws to strengthen the sentiment of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.

The traditions and arrangements of our household should be Indian in nature. Our policies, our laws should strengthen the spirit of Indianness with the resolve of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat': PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/3lRMDBtHHd

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 17, 2021

The prime minister also pushed the idea of having a separate time for quality and healthy debates in legislatures which should be serious, dignified and devoid of political potshots at others. In a way, it should be a “healthy time” for House, he said.

हम Quality Debate के लिए भी अलग से समय निर्धारित करने के बारे में सोच सकते हैं क्या?

ऐसी डिबेट जिसमें मर्यादा का, गंभीरता का पूरी तरह से पालन हो, कोई किसी पर राजनीतिक छींटाकशी ना करे।

एक तरह से वो सदन का सबसे Healthy समय हो, Healthy Day हो: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 17, 2021

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The prime minister also said that democracy is not merely a system for India but it is its nature. Noting that the next 25 years are very important for the country as it heads towards the centenary of its Independence, he urged Parliament and state legislatures and their members to give “top priority” to their duties in their words, conduct and work which will impact citizens nationwide. “Next 25 years are very important for India. During this, can we with full strength dedication and response execute one mantra? In my view that mantra is duty, duty and duty,” he said.

अगले 25 वर्ष, भारत के लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण हैं।

इसमें हम एक ही मंत्र को चरितार्थ कर सकते हैं क्या - कर्तव्य, कर्तव्य, कर्तव्य: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 17, 2021

He also asserted that it is our legislatures’ responsibility to be vigilant about any discordant voice about the country’s unity and integrity. It is our unity that preserves our diversity, he added. In the thousands of years of development, people have come to realise that in the midst of diversity, flows the grand, divine and unbroken stream of unity, and this unbroken stream of unity nourishes and preserves our diversity, he said. Noting that lawmakers are associated mostly with politics, Modi proposed whether a few days in a year can be demarcated in legislatures for them to do something special for the society, tell the country about this aspect of their social life as well. He also gave the idea of ‘One Nation One Legislative Platform’, a portal that not only gives the necessary technological boost to our parliamentary system, but also works to connect all the democratic units of the country. The All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC), the apex body of the Legislatures in India, is celebrating its 100th year in 2021. To commemorate the centennial year, the conference is being be held in Shimla on 17-18 November. The first conference was also held in Shimla in 1921. With inputs from PTI