Left for creating Code of Conduct for MPs

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) Concerned over the ''repeated disruption of the business of Parliament,'' the Left parties today called for ''evolving a code of conduct to ensure that there are no holdups and the prestige of the august institution is restored.'' The CPI(M) and the CPI, while demanding ''fruitful debate on the people's issues in Parliament, the forum for debate and discussion, blamed the BJP for hindering the discussion to pursue its narrow political agenda.'' The Left leaders' advocacy for the code of conduct assumes significance as only yesterday Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi, while criticising the saffron party for making a "mockery" of the Parliamentary system, hinted at changing the Parliamentary rules of procedure. The Minister had said he would take up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and do the needful.

CPI(M) leaders Sitaram Yechury and Basudeb Acharia told newspersons the ''need for a code of conduct was necessitated in the backdrop of increasing trend of passing the financial bills without discussion.'' This is for the first time in country's Parliamentary history that during the last four years, thrice the vote-on-account was passed without discussion, the CPI(M) leaders said at a press conference.

''This is a bad omen for the Parliamantary system of governance,'' the Left leaders said adding that the ''BJP hindered the proceedings of Parliament with the sole agenda of blocking debate on people's issues.'' When asked why the Left parties blocked the business on the Nandigram issue, they said this is not the case. ''Only a day before yesterday, Lok Sabha Deputy Chairman gave the ruling on disallowing the Adjournment Motion on Nandgiram sought by the BJP. We simply raised objections when the BJP members were adamant on...'' CPI Floor leader in the Lok Sabha Gurudas Dasgupta, making a case for creating a code of conduct, said ''it is the urgent need of the hour as the prestige of the Parliamentarians had gone down in the eyes of the people for their unruly behaviour on the floor of the House.'' ''This way the foundation of our parliamentary system has been weakened,'' the CPI veteran said adding that the ''BJP was mainly responsible for the decline in the levels of debate, the issues and promoting its Hindutva agenda.'' The CPI leader, however, also came down heavily on ''the Congress for drastically reducing the number of sittings of Parliament.'' He came out with facts and figures to prove his point. ''We have taken up the matter with the government that there should be at least 100 days...'' The Left leaders reiterated their opposition to the government's move to hike the FDI cap from 29 per cent to 49 per cent.

UNI