Conduct of lawmakers should be in line with Indian values: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that doing one’s duty should be the mantra for the country for the next 25 years as India heads towards the centenary of its Independence, and this message should go out from its Parliament and state legislatures.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 82nd All India Presiding Officers’ Conference on Wednesday via video conferencing, he also asserted that it is our legislatures’ responsibility to be vigilant about any discordant voice about the country’s unity and integrity. It is our unity that preserves our diversity, he added.

The prime minister also pushed the idea of having a separate time for quality and healthy debates in legislatures which should be serious, dignified, and devoid of political potshots at others. With Parliament often witnessing disruptions over a variety of issues, Modi said the conduct of lawmakers should be in line with Indian values.

Democracy is not merely a system in India but it is its nature, he added. The All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC), the apex body of the Legislatures in India, is celebrating its 100th year in 2021.