Indian media criticise ‘shameful’ parliament disruption
BBC Online :
Media are strongly criticising the chaos that erupted in the lower house of India’s parliament after an MP used pepper spray to disrupt proceedings.
Papers warn that democratic institutions like the parliament will fall into “anarchy” if such “shameful” incidents continue.
Media are particularly critical of L Rajagopal, an MP of the ruling Congress party, who smashed a glass and used pepper spray on his colleagues to protest against a plan to create the new state of Telangana. The incident took place when Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde tried to table a bill to create Telangana, which is to be carved out of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Rajagopal later said he had acted in self-defence after being attacked. But the anger against the “ruckus” is evident in Friday’s front-page headlines.
“The Darkest Day” reads the headline in The Pioneer, while The Times of India says “Pepper spray in House leaves Indian democracy in tears”. “MPs make it a day of shame for Parliament,” reads The Hindu’s headline.
Newspapers feel such disruptions are “dangerous” for democracy and “homicidal” to the spirit of parliament.
“The Telangana issue is no doubt a highly emotional one. But parliament is a forum for debate and discussion, not for unseemly and violent brawls… This is very dangerous for our democracy. Unless the institutions of democracy, the highest being parliament, are nurtured, we could quite possibly see a slide into anarchy,” says the Hindustan Times in an editorial.
The Times of India echoes similar sentiments.
“Such disruptions are homicidal to the very spirit of parliament. While elected legislators have every right to voice their opinions and put forward concerns of their constituencies, representative democracy needs to be distinguished from anarchy,” it says.
Papers are also calling for stricter action against MPs disrupting proceedings as well as frisking of lawmakers to avoid such incidents in future.
“Speaker Meira Kumar should no more restrict herself to feeble entreaties to maintain decorum but adopt sterner measures, ranging from ordering eviction to allowing criminal prosecution in select instances… Political consensus may be the ideal way, but legislative activity cannot forever be hostage to deliberate disorder,” says The Hindu.
Media are strongly criticising the chaos that erupted in the lower house of India’s parliament after an MP used pepper spray to disrupt proceedings.
Papers warn that democratic institutions like the parliament will fall into “anarchy” if such “shameful” incidents continue.
Media are particularly critical of L Rajagopal, an MP of the ruling Congress party, who smashed a glass and used pepper spray on his colleagues to protest against a plan to create the new state of Telangana. The incident took place when Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde tried to table a bill to create Telangana, which is to be carved out of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. Rajagopal later said he had acted in self-defence after being attacked. But the anger against the “ruckus” is evident in Friday’s front-page headlines.
“The Darkest Day” reads the headline in The Pioneer, while The Times of India says “Pepper spray in House leaves Indian democracy in tears”. “MPs make it a day of shame for Parliament,” reads The Hindu’s headline.
Newspapers feel such disruptions are “dangerous” for democracy and “homicidal” to the spirit of parliament.
“The Telangana issue is no doubt a highly emotional one. But parliament is a forum for debate and discussion, not for unseemly and violent brawls… This is very dangerous for our democracy. Unless the institutions of democracy, the highest being parliament, are nurtured, we could quite possibly see a slide into anarchy,” says the Hindustan Times in an editorial.
The Times of India echoes similar sentiments.
“Such disruptions are homicidal to the very spirit of parliament. While elected legislators have every right to voice their opinions and put forward concerns of their constituencies, representative democracy needs to be distinguished from anarchy,” it says.
Papers are also calling for stricter action against MPs disrupting proceedings as well as frisking of lawmakers to avoid such incidents in future.
“Speaker Meira Kumar should no more restrict herself to feeble entreaties to maintain decorum but adopt sterner measures, ranging from ordering eviction to allowing criminal prosecution in select instances… Political consensus may be the ideal way, but legislative activity cannot forever be hostage to deliberate disorder,” says The Hindu.