Ansari inaugurates workshop for first-time MPs

Vice President M. Hamid Ansari Saturday inaugurated a workshop for first time Rajya Sabha MPs, urging them raise the Indian parliament's level of performance to global standards, an official statement said.

"In a democracy, freedom to agitate and to debate is important but the two must not be confused," said Ansari, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Lauding the success of India's electoral democracy as a model for other democracies, he emphasised the need to make India a functional democracy for which parliament's performance is paramount.

The two-day orientation programme has been organised by the Rajya Sabha secretariat for the newly-elected or nominated members of the upper house.

Emphasising on the three basic functions of parliament - law-making, executive accountability and discussion and debate on issues of public interest, Ansari said that these are exercised through the instrumentalities of questions, debates and scrutiny of legislation.