Uphold democratic spirit, ensure proper personal conduct: V-P to MPs

Vice President M Hamid Ansari on Wednesday urged MPs to uphold the "spirit of democracy", which he stressed was the "lifeblood" of Parliament.

He said "proper personal conduct" of parliamentarians would instill confidence among the people in "institutions of democracy".

At a gathering for the 'Lokmat Parliamentary Awards 2017', organised by the media house from Maharashtra, Ansari asked MPs to prevent the "erosion of the vitality" of democracy, stressing that they had to first "believe" in democracy themselves.

Ansari felicitated BJP stalwart L K Advani and senior JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav, member of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha respectively, with "Life-time achievement awards" at the event.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury was also among those felicitated at the event.

"It is the duty of the elected representatives of the people of India to prevent the erosion of the vitality and spirit of democracy that is the lifeblood of our Parliament," Ansari said.

He recalled how former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom he described as one of the most charismatic parliamentarians in history, had said Parliament was a place "where the hopes, aspirations and frustrations of the people of this country should be reflected and echoed".

NDA's vice presidential poll candidate M Venkaiah Naidu, who also addressed the event, stressed that parliamentarians should conduct themselves in a "proper" manner, keeping in mind the fact that the Indian parliamentary system was "recognised and appreciated" worldwide.

Naidu also praised Advani in this context, saying the BJP veteran would always tell party parliamentarians that "ideology alone would not suffice, that there was need for proper conduct".

Pointing out that there was "no dearth of TV channels" these days, Naidu told the gathering, comprising mostly parliamentarians and political leaders, that public representatives should conduct themselves well as "people are watching".

Naidu also asked budding parliamentarians to read more to perform well in the House.

BJP's Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi and Congress's Sushmita Dev -- from the Lok Sabha -- were declared the best debutante (woman) parliamentarian and best woman parliamentarian respectively. LS member N K Premchandran of the RSP was adjudged the best parliamentarian.