The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Opposition & Parliament

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Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Opposition & Parliament

Sir, — This refers to the editorial, "Opposition and Parliament" (Aug. 30). While there is no doubt that the BJP-led Opposition is taking parliamentary boycott to unacceptable levels, the observation that even if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had lost his cool when the Opposition went to present a memorandum it should have been more restrained is unrealistic and unacceptable.

In a democracy, it is the responsibility of the ruling dispensation to act with dignity even in the face of criticism and provocation, not the other way round. The disruption of Parliament is more the creation of the ruling coalition.

T.K. Srinivasan,

Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — Dr. Singh's attitude towards the Opposition leaves much to be desired. He refused to accept even a memorandum from the Opposition leaders. An experienced and confident leader could have easily avoided such a controversy.

Ashutosh Purushottam,

Gaya, Bihar

* * *

Sir, — It is unfair to find fault with Dr. Singh's action. The concept of political morality was well established by the Congress in 1975-76 when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister and admirably followed by the Congress when it was in the Opposition for the last six years. Who are the Opposition parties to question its credibility? They should remember that it is perfectly all right to have charge-sheeted Ministers in the Cabinet — but making an issue of it is wrong.

Vidyasagar Casikar,

New South Wales, Australia

* * *

Sir, — Dr. Singh should take three steps if he wants Parliament to function normally; pack off the `tainted' Ministers, tell Mani Shankar Aiyar and Arjun Singh that secularism does not lie in deriding V.D. Savarkar and the RSS, and stop sermonising on good parliamentary behaviour. The Congress has not set a particularly good precedent in this regard.

T.S. Rao,

Visakhapatnam, A.P.

* * *

Sir, — Looking at the recent happenings in and out of Parliament, I am reminded of Shakespeare's words: "... . But man, proud man,/ dressed in a little brief authority, ... Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven/ As make the angels weep". Our MPs must be certainly making all the angels in heaven weep.

K.V. Lakshminarayanan,

Chennai

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