Our federal structure is a guarantee to India's unity in diversity, says Union Minister Naqvi

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday said that India's federal structure is a guarantee to its 'unity in diversity' and emphasised that the country not only has emerged as the largest democracy but has 'flourished and strengthened as a parliamentary system' in which the 'Constitution protects the rights of every society.'

"India has not only emerged as the largest democracy but has flourished and strengthened as a parliamentary system in which the Constitution protects the rights of every society," said the Union Minister while addressing the 7th conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region here.

Naqvi, who spoke on 'Enhancing Focus of Legislators on Legislative Business', said that the public representatives should have a vision of honesty towards their duties and responsibilities.

"Just as we remain aware of fundamental rights. In the same way, we have to understand the responsibility towards the basic duties. The fundamental rights of citizens are based on the discharge of fundamental duties as both rights and duties cannot be separated from each other. There is a need to take the duties towards the nation seriously by citizens," he said.

Naqvi said that it is extremely important to uphold fundamental rights related to life, liberty, equality, and freedom of expression. He said that the rights and fundamental duties are equally important.

"Civil rights and responsibility are two sides of the same coin and both go hand in hand. If we hold rights, then we also have some obligations associated with those rights wherever we are living -- whether it is at home, society, village, state or country, rights and responsibilities go with us, step by step," he added.

Naqvi stressed that public representatives in legislatures must contribute their time, energy, information, and ideas to make effective legislation.

"It is in this context that the focus of legislative work and the people's representatives and increasing their capacity is very important for the success of parliamentary democracy," he said.

The minister said that in today's era, the process of policymaking is constantly evolving and becoming scientific.

"In view of the changing socio-political conditions, it is necessary for public representatives to strengthen the order of interaction with the various groups associated with the people," he said.

Naqvi said that the main function of public representatives is to make laws for which they should have the ability to identify the issues related to the policy, find possible legislative options to resolve that issue.

However, he said that in the successful functioning of parliamentary democracy in India, various challenges related to political, social, economic and technological development are hindered, which can be dealt with only when the people's representatives are aware and sensitive to various issues related to legislative importance and they have updated information related to these issues is available.