I am a creation of this Parliament: Pranab

24/07/2017

NEW DELHI, Jul 23: Describing himself as ‘a creation of this Parliament’, outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee today said that his years in Parliament were enriched by many leaders.
Speaking at a function in the Central Hall where members of both Houses of Parliament bid him farewell, President Mukherjee said,”when I first entered the hallowed Parliament, I was 34-years-old. I represented one of the six seats from Rajya Sabha. I attended my first session in July 1969. In July 1969 I was elected to Rajya Sabha from West Bengal. For 37 years I was member of this Parliament. If I claim I am the creation of this Parliament, perhaps it will not be treated as immodest. It will be with a tinge of sadness that I will leave this magnificent building.”
Addressing Members of Parliament at the function, where Vice President Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar, members of the Union Cabinet, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and veteran BJP leader LK Advani were among those present, Mr Mukherjee lamented increasing disruptions in Parliament in recent years.
”It is unfortunate that Parliament time devoted to legislation is declining, ”he said while addressing members of both Houses. Mr Mukherjee said his years in Parliament were enriched by many leaders, while crediting the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as his mentor.
”My years in Parliament enriched by many leaders. My career as a parliamentarian was no doubt mentored by Indira Gandhi. She was a towering personality. She never hesitated to call a spade, a spade,” Mr Mukherjee said.
Outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee today expressed concern over the declining amount of time spent in lawmaking, saying Parliament should adequately scrutinise and debate laws before they are enacted.
"It is unfortunate that the parliamentary time devoted to legislation has been declining," he said at a farewell function in Parliament attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, besides others.
Mukherjee said with the heightened complexity of administration, legislation must be preceded by scrutiny and adequate discussion.
"Scrutiny in committees is no substitute to open discussion on the floor of the House. When the Parliament fails to discharge its lawmaking role or enacts laws without discussion, I feel it breaches the trust reposed in it by the people of this great country," he said.
The outgoing president, who will demit office on Tuesday, said not a single part of the country of 3.3 million square kilometres of landmass and islands is unrepresented in the Parliament.
"543 persons from the 543 territorial constituencies of this country representing the people in Lok Sabha and 245 persons elected by 29 states and 7 union territories make laws, scrutinise orders of the executive and enforce accountability to protect the interests of the people. Each of these 788 voices is important," he said.
President Pranab Mukherjee today cautioned the government against using the ordinance route to bring in a law, saying it should be used only in a compelling situation and not taken recourse to in monetary matters.
At a farewell function in Parliament, he also told the opposition not to disrupt proceedings in the two Houses as it took away from it the opportunity to raise people's concerns.
"I am of the firm opinion that the ordinance route should be used only in compelling circumstances and there should be no recourse to ordinances on monetary matters," he said.
The hour-long function was attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers, besides political leaders and MPs.
Eighty-one-year-old Mukherjee said the ordinance route should not be taken on matters which are being considered or have been introduced in Parliament or pending before a House committee.
"If a matter is deemed urgent, the committee concerned should be made aware of the situation and should be mandated to present its report within a stipulated time," he said.
The president's remarks bear significance as after repeatedly failing to amend the Enemy Property Act, 1968 in last three years, the Modi government had promulgated five ordinances. The Bill was passed by Parliament in March.
Senior Union ministers were reportedly deputed to convince the president to sign the fourth and fifth enemy property ordinances as he was against promulgating them.
Mukherjee said he was "greatly benefited" from the advice and cooperation extended Modi at "every step".
"With passion and energy, he (Modi) is driving transformational changes in the country. I will carry with fond memories of our association and his warm and courteous behaviour," he said.
The outgoing president, who will demit office on Tuesday, said he was "mentored" by late prime minister Indira Gandhi whose "steely determination, clarity of thought and decisive action made her a towering personality".
He said she never hesitated to call a spade a spade.
Mukherjee recalled during a visit to London with Gandhi after the Emergency, she had told journalists, "In those 21 months, we comprehensively managed to alienate all sections of Indian people."
Recalling his days as a member Parliament which he entered in 1969 as Rajya Sabha member, Mukherjee said by listening to stalwart in the Treasury and opposition benches, he understood the real value of debate, discussion and dissent.
"I realised how disruption hurts the opposition more than the government as it denies it the opportunity to raise the concerns of the people," he said.
Mahajan said Mukherjee is respected for his impeccable knowledge of constitutional and parliamentary rules and procedures and exemplary memory of events and precedents.
"You have been a 'guru' from whom generations of parliamentarians have received lessons on the operational dynamics of our parliamentary polity," she said.
Mahajan said the president's admirable administrative acumen and efficiency have played pivotal roles in shaping appropriate responses to various momentous events and challenges before the nation at large.
Lauding Mukherjee contributions, Rajya Sabha Chairman Ansari said his views and pronouncements on issues of national and international importance have enhanced the stature of the high offices held by him.
"From the highest pedestal, he has, on several occasions, urged citizens to rededicate themselves to the cause of upholding the democratic values.
"He has spoken with conviction about India's pluralism and diversity being her greatest strength and the need to constantly nurture and protect them," he said.
Ansari recalled that at a farewell dinner for governors and lieutenant governors last week, Mukherjee had spoken about the constitutional design by which "there cannot be two functional executive authorities in a state" and the governor's role, therefore, is "mainly confined to giving advice to the chief minister".
"He (Mukherjee) added that in certain situations, the governor has no discretion but to accept the verdict of the floor test," the vice president said.
Mukherjee was presented a coffee-table book by the Speaker on behalf of the MPs.
Later, Mukherjee attended a high-tea in Parliament House.

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