Parl democracy will flourish if govt is responsive, oppn responsible: Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today said that parliamentary democracy will flourish if the government is responsive and the Opposition responsible, while underlining that no one can "dictate" to the House.

Addressing members in the central hall of Parliament after 'Outstanding Parliamentarian awards' were given away, Naidu said he felt embarrassed when children in the visitors' gallery witness disruptions in the house.

Such disruptions were not good for democracy in the country, he said.

"Let the government propose, the opposition oppose and the House dispose, you cannot dictate to the House...that is the spirit of parliamentary democracy. It will flourish if the government is responsive and the opposition responsible. If you follow this, parliamentary democracy will definitely succeed," he said.

The Vice President, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, said in democracy, everyone must have tolerance towards the mandate of the people and the majority should be tolerant towards the minority.

"The opposition must have its say and the government must have its way...that's the only way...If you are agitated, concerned, you can raise any issue in parliament. What you can do...effectively articulate... not happy, walkout, but no breakout, otherwise democracy will be all out," he said.

Naidu said parliamentarians need to conduct themselves in such a manner that the prestige, decency and decorum of Parliament is maintained, adding "people respect us because of our calibre, talent, and conduct and not because of anything else".

"Sometimes, when I sit in the House and some discussion takes place, I look towards visitors gallery and I find children, who come to Parliament, and sometimes, I fell shy. I do not raise my head...

"This situation is not good for our democracy. We have to conduct ourselves in such a manner that the prestige, decency and decorum of Parliament is maintained and see to it that people respect us because of our calibre, talent, and conduct and not because of anything else," he noted.

Naidu said parliamentarians have been elected, selected and sent here to serve the cause of the people of the respective constituency and the state. "We must remember that we have a great responsibility to set some standards."