NEW DELHI: Over 200 prominent senior citizens, including former ambassadors, retired army officers, bureaucrats and senior advocates, on Tuesday raised their voice against the alleged conduct and demeanour of Rahul Gandhi, the senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LOP), alleging that it weakens the dignity and effectiveness of the country’s Parliament.
The letter is signed by 204 prominent citizens, including 116 retired army officers, 84 former bureaucrats, four ambassadors and four advocates.
The letter addressed to citizens of the country, released by former Jammu and Kashmir DGP S.P. Vaid, says, “The events witnessed on 12th March are deeply concerning. Parliament is the supreme forum of democratic deliberation where the collective will of the people is articulated. Parliament is rightly regarded as the temple of democracy, where elected representatives come together to deliberate on matters of national importance. Unfortunately, Shri Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly contributed to lowering the level of public discourse and decorum through theatrics both inside and outside Parliament."
The signatories said such actions suggest a pattern of conduct driven less by respect for democratic institutions and more by a sense of personal privilege that treats Parliament as a stage for provocation rather than a forum for serious deliberation.
“In the process, valuable public time and resources are lost. Parliamentary proceedings must not be disrupted or trivialised in ways that undermine the functioning of this vital democratic institution. In his efforts to question the government of the day, the actions of Shri Rahul Gandhi are damaging the reputation of our country and our democracy. The fact that such behaviour is being carried out by a person who occupies a position as responsible and important as the Leader of the Opposition makes it even more disturbing," the letter said.
“As custodians of a constitutional institution that embodies the democratic aspirations of over a billion people, Members of Parliament must remain conscious that their actions carry symbolic and institutional significance. "The signatories stated that Parliament's credibility strengthens when its members uphold the traditions of propriety and restraint that have always defined parliamentary life."
"Shri Rahul Gandhi, along with several Members of Parliament, was seen sitting on the steps of Parliament having tea and biscuits in a manner that was wholly unbecoming of members of the nation’s highest legislative body. The steps of Parliament are not a venue for spectacle or political theatre. Such conduct within the precincts of Parliament represents a clear disregard for established norms of behaviour and decorum. "It reflects an attitude of arrogance and entitlement and a troubling lack of respect for an institution that embodies the democratic will of the people," the letter pointed out. (IANS)
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