New Delhi/Chandigarh, August 5
Rajya Sabha Member and Environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has written a letter to the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, expressing concern over the ongoing disruptions in Parliament. In his letter, he alleged that while crores of rupees from taxpayers are being spent, no productive work is being done in Parliament.
In the three-page letter, Sant Seechewal claimed that during the ongoing session of Parliament, ₹2.5 lakh is spent every minute. On average, one day of Parliament proceedings costs around ₹10 crore. In the last 12 days alone, approximately ₹120 crore has been spent, even though the session has failed to function properly during this period.
He stated in the letter that raising the issues of the people is the primary duty of the opposition, but the environment in Parliament is being made such that the opposition is forced to resort to protests and disruptions.
Sant Seechewal emphasized that a Member of Parliament gets the opportunity to raise public issues during Zero Hour, Question Hour, and through Special Mentions. But when Parliament is not in session or not functioning properly, all these rights are effectively taken away from the MPs. He noted that no one wins from the disruptions in Parliament; rather, it is a loss for the common people of the country—those who elected their representatives with the hope that one day their voice would be echoed in the House.
He pointed out that even after more than 75 years of independence, the country still struggles to provide clean drinking water, pure air, and healthy food to its people—all of which are constitutional rights essential for human life.
Due to unemployment, the youth of the country are either falling into the trap of drug addiction or migrating abroad. Those who move overseas for better job opportunities often face great hardships. Parliament, he said, has never seriously discussed their plight.
He also referred to how the newly elected President of the United States once had Indian nationals handcuffed and deported like criminals. Similarly, 13 young Indian men, who had reportedly joined the Russian army, are still missing, and their families continue to await their return. Yet, such crucial issues have never found space for discussion in the Parliament.
