Disappointed by what is happening in Parliament, says former PM Deve Gowda

BENGALURU: With Parliament debating the no-confidence motion against the government, moved by the opposition, during the ongoing monsoon session, there has been a fierce war of words over the last two days with both the treasury benches and the I.N.D.I.A bloc attacking each other on various issues.

On Wednesday, Wayanad Congress MP Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur issue. However, a controversy erupted after he apparently blew a flying kiss on the floor of the House, prompting Union Minister Smriti Irani to launch a blistering attack. On Thursday, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also tore into the opposition.

I came to attend Parliament despite ill-health, but have been very disappointed by what is happening. From my long experience I say this is a new low. Democracy can be saved only if everybody maintains dignity and decorum. 1/2

— H D Devegowda (@H_D_Devegowda) August 10, 2023

Former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha member H D Deve Gowda, who is in Delhi to attend the ongoing session, noted on X, “I came to attend Parliament despite ill-health, but have been very disappointed by what is happening. From my long experience I say this is a new low. Democracy can be saved only if everybody maintains dignity and decorum”.

“Shouting, name-calling, sloganeering will only destroy what is left of our system”, he noted in a second post.

The JD(S) patriarch left Bengaluru for New Delhi on Wednesday to attend the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. He had not attended the session so far due to health reasons.

While Deve Gowda recently said that his party will contest next year’s Lok Sabha polls independently, his son and former CM H D Kumaraswamy had announced that the JD(S) and BJP will together take on the ruling Congress in the Assembly.