No improvement unless both sides stop fighting, resolve to let Parliament function: PDT Achary

PDT Achary, Secretary-General of the 14th and 15th Lok Sabha, tells DNA's Manan Kumar that both sides must resolve to let the House function.

How do you look at the situation?

There have been confrontations in the past but not like we are witnessing today. They became very sharp in the past 3-4 years. It was not so even in the 1970s when Indira Gandhi, known for her strongheadedness, was the PM. There used to be some kind of a back channel.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr. Kotha Raghuramaiah used to be with the Opposition benches for most of the time, coaxing, cajoling and requesting them to take part in the business of the House. That perspective is no more there.

What is required for the House to function smoothly?

There should be some kind of trust between the ruling party and the Opposition for Parliament to function. Tell me, how can Parliament function if the Parliamentary Affairs Minister gets up and shouts at the Opposition. He is a bridge between the government and the Opposition. This tradition has been done away with in the current dispensation.

Smooth conduct of proceedings is whose responsibility?

Of the ruling party because it has the responsibility to transact business. Instead of getting into a tiff with the Opposition, it should find a middle ground. The government should try to understand what the Opposition wants. It should place its cards on the table and tell frankly how far it can accommodate the Opposition's demands. The role of the Prime Minister as the leader of the house assumes great significance in such situations. He should call meetings of Opposition parties in his chamber and sort out thorny issues. It is not an intractable problem.

In this context, how do you see the role of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha?

Both can play an important role provided they create the necessary confidence amongst the Opposition. But if the Opposition thinks that the Speaker is an agent of the ruling party, the game is lost. Lately, Opposition parties have grievances against the Speaker like in case of no-confidence motions. The Speaker cannot disallow a no-confidence motion. But she has taken a plea there is no order in the House to do so. Order can only be brought about by the Speaker. This creates lack of confidence.

What is required for the Monsoon Session to be smooth?

Somebody should take initiatives and that somebody could be the Prime Minister as the leader of the House. If he can have a closed-door meeting, and discuss issues frankly and freely, stalemate can be resolved. I would say that we need to go back to the legacy of Nehru who never allowed a crisis to linger and become a festering wound. Though the present dispensation is against Nehru, it needs to go back to Nehruvian methods and take lead in resolving crisis.

How do you see the remaining three Sessions of the Lok Sabha shaping up?

I do not see any improvement unless both sides give up their adversarial positions and strive hard to resolve issues.