President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday conferred Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards Award for the years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 to Dr Najma A Heptulla, Hukmdev Narayan Yadav, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Dinesh Trivedi, and Bhartruhari Mahtab respectively.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Government has the least to lose due to disruptions in Parliament and it is the country which loses the most.
He also said it is the duty of each parliamentarian to lend voice to the problems of the common man in Parliament and force the government to take steps for their welfare.
“It is important for MPs to express the voice of the poor and the marginalised. Sadly, when there is noise and chaos in the House, MPs are not able to speak and the loss is of the entire nation,” he said.
He added, “The Government has the least to lose due to din in Parliament. It is the country which loses the most.” Parliament is a forum to debate and even criticise the government, he said stressing upon the need for Parliament to function effectively.
“The words spoken in Parliament are on record and they will be a part of the history books. That is why, it is important for Parliament to function effectively,” he said.
The prime minister’s remarks came in the backdrop of frequent disruptions in Parliament due to uproar by the opposition on various issues.
“In such a big nation, the MPs bring with them the dreams and aspirations of their constituents,” he said. The budget session of the Parliament saw a near washout because of protests by a united opposition on a variety of issues including demand for granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The Opposition, however, put the blame on the ruling party for the disruptions and alleged that it is using its friendly parties to cause the din. Congratulating all those who were conferred with the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award, President Ram Nath Kovind said that as parliamentarians each one of them has added value to the proceedings of the House.
“They have done so while maintaining the dignity of Parliament, using their knowledge and wisdom. President Kovind emphasised that dignity in discussion and debate, wit and repartee - these qualities in members of Parliament are inspirational for our young people.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu called upon the opposition to be responsible, for the Government to become “more responsive”. In her welcome address, lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said Dr Najma Heptulla has contributed extensively to enrich the parliamentary practice and procedure as the Presiding Officer of the Rajya Sabha.
She has also shown her exemplary diplomatic and administrative skills at national and international fora. Appreciating Hukmdev Narayan Yadav’s distinctive style of speaking and incisive arguments in parliamentary debates, Mahajan said that he is a committed and popular leader who articulates the aspirations of the common man with his powerful oratory. For 2016, lok Sabha MP from TMC, Dinesh Trivedi was given the award, and for the year 2017, BJD’s lok Sabha MP Bhartruhari Mahtab was named outstanding parliamentarian.
The awardees were selected on the basis of their experience, debating skills, awareness of issues and the depth with which issues were raised.
The names were shortlisted by an award committee headed by lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.