In his second meeting after being sworn in as Rajya Sabha Chairman, Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan met with floor leaders of various political parties on Tuesday. He thanked the leaders for attending and emphasised the need for collective efforts to ensure the smooth functioning of the house, stating that a “Lakshman Rekha” must be drawn to allow ample space for debate and discussion.
Radhakrishnan assured that all voices and opinions in a democracy matter and encouraged members to actively participate in important issues, particularly during zero hours and through special mentions.
Opposition parties raised concerns about insufficient opportunities to express reservations. They highlighted that during the last session, many of their notices were rejected, leaving them feeling unrepresented. Smaller parties also requested more time to speak on issues affecting their constituents, pointing out that bills were being passed hastily without adequate debate.
On behalf of the government, Rajya Sabha Leader of the House JP Nadda assured that no discussion or debate was being avoided, and that Parliament functions based on rules applied equally to all. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, L Murugan, and party representatives including JP Nadda (BJP), Jairam Ramesh (Congress), Pramod Tiwari (Congress), Sagarika Ghosh (TMC), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Milind Deora (Shiv Sena), Kamal Haasan, Sanjay Singh (AAP), A Rama Reddy (YSRCP), Sana Satish (TDP), GK Vasan, John Brittas (CPM), Fouzia Khan (NCP-SP), and Sasmit Patra (BJD) attended the meeting.
The Vice President, in a lighthearted tone, mentioned that he was making his maiden speech and hoped it would not be disrupted. Opposition members also requested that ministers provide precise and relevant answers during Question Hour, and suggested that private members’ bills should be encouraged on any day instead of Fridays to ensure meaningful debate.
