INDIA HAS BETTER PARLIAMENTARY TRADITIONS: RAJ ASSEMBLY SPEAKER DEVNANI

Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani, who recently returned after visiting four countries, spoke exclusively with The Daily Guardian on India's Parliamentary system while also expressing concern over the current situation in Bangladesh.

- ARVIND PALAWAT

Devnani described his first year in office as enjoyable and hinted that the assembly would introduce a unique approach in the upcoming year.

Q: You have recently returned from a foreign trip. How would you compare the Parliamentary traditions and legislative systems of those countries with ours?

A: After a comparative study, I can say that India's constitution and democracy are the best in the world. No other country has such a large written constitution. Indians have made their presence felt in many countries on the basis of their hard work. People who went to other countries as labourers are living like kings there today. As far as Parliamentary traditions are concerned, we have better traditions. The condition of both Houses in Japan's Parliament is similar to India. When I observe different Parliaments and assemblies, I notice that while the infrastructure and seating arrangements vary, the procedural aspects are quite different. For instance, we have Zero Hour, Question Hour, and open debates, which are not present in those assemblies. However, one thing I appreciated there was the high level of discipline among the members. Additionally, our civilisation and culture are admired in many countries.

Q: Everyone knows the condition of Hindus in Bangladesh. Given that Chinmay Prabhu is not even able to secure a lawyer after his arrest, what is your view on the constitutional provisions in such a situation?