Time to bury strategy of weaponising disruptions: Jagdeep Dhankhar

New Delhi: As proceedings of Parliament moved to its new building, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday called for burying the strategy of "weaponising" disturbances and disruptions in parliamentary functioning, saying these are antithetical to democratic values.

Addressing a function to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India in the iconic Central Hall of the old Parliament building, he also called for emulating the exemplary conduct and decorum of the members of the Constituent Assembly.

Dhankhar said that the time has come to give up the justification of transgression of conduct and outrageous disregard of rules in the temples of democracy by making reference to past instances.

"As we march into the new Parliament building, we must enhance cooperation and consensual approach. Time for us to bid farewell to confrontational stance and resolve to ever keep national interest uppermost," he told the gathering of parliamentarians in the central hall.

"Time to bury the strategy of weaponising disturbance and disruptions in parliamentary functioning as these are antithetical to democratic values and can never have the sanction of the people – our ultimate masters," Dhankhar said.

"Time has come to give up once and for all the premise of justifying the transgression of conduct and outrageous disregard of rules in the temples of democracy by making reference to past instances," he added.

The Vice President said, "In this very chamber, the members of the Constituent Assembly embarked upon the journey to accomplish the daunting task of drafting the Constitution." The Rajya Sabha chairman said the deliberations in the Constituent Assembly in this theatre exemplified decorum and healthy debate.

"Contentious issues were negotiated in a spirit of consensus with scholarly debate and spirited deliberations. We need to emulate the exemplary conduct of our founding fathers," he noted.

He also recalled the final speech of B R Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly where he had said, "If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do? The first thing in my judgement we must do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives." "Let us heed his clarion call," Dhankhar asserted.

"This historic walk to the new building of Parliament, in Amrit Kaal, be the march to Bharat in 2047 as a Vishwaguru," he said.

The Vice President also called for making the new chambers of Parliament the sanctum sanctorum of "our temple of democracy in togetherness".

Marking the day as a "momentous occasion", he said, "I congratulate you all on our phenomenal rise." "Traversing over a seven-decade journey, from Samvidhan Sabha to the present day in Amrit Kaal, these hallowed precincts have witnessed many a milestone," Dhankhar said.

"From the 'tryst with destiny' at midnight of 15th August 1947, to unfolding of innovative forward-looking GST regime at midnight of June 30, 2017, and now this day," he said.

In this very Central Hall, Dhankhar said, the members of the Constituent Assembly embarked upon the journey to accomplish the daunting task of drafting the Constitution of India.