Focus on framing policies, leave politics outside: Naidu to new MPs

New Delhi : Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday advised newly-elected and nominated members of the House to focus on only framing policies and leave politics outside the Parliament.

"Leave your politics outside the Parliament and contribute your best for framing the programmes and policies for the benefit of the poor," said Naidu while addressing the orientation programme for the newly-elected and nominated members of the Rajya Sabha here.

The Vice President said the rules are sacrosanct for "all of us and together we are bound by the Rule Book".

He said the rules provide enough instruments to raise the issues of public importance and that "we can utilise available time efficiently with scrupulous adherence to rules".

"The parliamentary democracy allows enough space for the articulation of diverse view points. When an issue is thoroughly debated and multiple perspectives emerge, the final legislation is likely to be more comprehensive," Naidu said.

Saying the Rajya Sabha follows a set of rules and procedures, Naidu said adherence to these rules ensures an orderly conduct of the House.

"This orientation programme will enable you to get familiar with these important procedures," he added.

"We are for the first time starting the new parliamentary system, with a second chamber in the Centre, and we should try to do everything in our power to justify to the public of this country that a second chamber is essential to prevent hasty legislation. We should discuss with dispassion and detachment proposals put before us," said Naidu, quoting first Chairman of Rajya Sabha S. Radhakrishnan.

The Rajya Sabha Chairman also invited the members to use the new IT initiatives and noted that e-notice system has been introduced for the benefit of the parliamentarians where notices can be submitted online.