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Parliament celebrated the 60th anniversary of its first sitting in an elegant manner.
Keeping aside differences, the members of both the Houses resolved to uphold the dignity of the temple of democracy and to make the House an effective instrument of change.
Addressing the joint session of Parliament, the President, Ms Pratibha Patil, said Indians proved sceptics wrong by walking through the path of democracy since independence. “Our record has been remarkable and there is a widespread acclaim about the tenacious manner in which we have adhered to democracy,” she said.
“Pressures are developing on account of many reasons - demands for development are louder, people are articulating their demands very vocally and many shades of opinions are emerging,” Ms Patil added.
The Vice-President, Mr Hamid Ansari, said the key responsibility of Parliaments around the world is prudent fiscal management and ensuring financial accountability.
“Our citizens know, must know, that Parliament is central to economic reform and development as these hinge on bringing about new laws, amending old ones and harmonising differences,” Mr Ansari said.
Apparently mentioning at the recent criticisms that were raised against the Members of Parliament by civil society organisations, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said the country should “firmly reject” those who would mock the institutions of democracy that have developed over decades of experience.
“We are not a perfect democracy. But we are a functioning democracy with mechanisms and safeguards that allow for the reconciliation of diverse interests and differences of opinion,” Dr Singh said.
Earlier, discussions on the 60th anniversary of the first sitting were held in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
The Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, said the members should possess the highest ethical standards.
She wanted them 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. The BJP veteran, Mr L.K. Advani, said the key to success of democracy in the country was the respect it showed to different ideologies.
“Parliament is the biggest example of this,” he added. The CPI(M) leader, Mr Sitaram Yechury, said Parliament should sit for longer durations, for keeping a tab over the government.
He said 100 mandatory sittings of the House should be ensured through a Constitutional amendment.
Parliament honoured four members of the first Lok Sabha on the occasion.
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