Disruption not part of parliamentary democracy: Pranab

Virtually expressing his annoyance over stalling of parliament because of disruptions, President Pranab Mukherjee said debate, dissent and decision are the essentials of democracy.

"My teacher told me in my childhood that three Ds are essential in democracy - debate, dissension and finally decision. I never heard there is another D - disruption, which means stalling parliament by creating a pandemonium.

"There are lot of other places where one can have recourse to disruption", Mukherjee said while delivering the keynote address at the closing function of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

The president expressed his happiness over India entering into an agreement with Japan on civil nuclear cooperation and recalled that he had in 2008 initiated the process of civil nuclear cooperation with countries like US and Russia during his stint as external affairs minister.