Calling for bonhomie and mutual respect among political parties on the eve of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday appealed to Members of Parliament to maintain “mutual respect” during debates and discussions on issues concerning the nation.
“I appeal to everyone across the political spectrum—please maintain mutual respect. Please refrain from using unbecoming language on television or elsewhere against the leadership of any party,” Dhankhar said at a function here.
This culture, he added, does not reflect our civilisational values.
“We must be careful with our language. Avoid personal attacks. I appeal to politicians: it’s time to stop calling each other names. It does no good to our culture when leaders of one party launch personal attacks on senior figures of another,” he said.
“We must uphold a sense of decorum and mutual respect—that is the true demand of our culture. Without it, we cannot have unity in our thought process. Trust me, if political dialogue takes place at a higher level—if leaders interact more frequently—there will be greater understanding and cooperation,” he added.
Highlighting the need for meaningful deliberations during the Monsoon Session, Dhankhar said, “Why should we fight among ourselves? Let us not look for enemies within. To my understanding, every Indian political party and every parliamentarian is, at heart, a nationalist. They believe in the nation and its progress.”
The Vice-President also stressed that change of government is an inherent part of democracy.
“We have seen transitions at the state, panchayat, and municipal levels—that’s the democratic process. But one thing must remain constant: the continuity of development and our civilisational ethos. That can only happen when we respect our democratic culture,” he emphasized.
“A thriving democracy cannot afford an atmosphere of constant acrimony. It’s disheartening when the political climate is marked by hostility,” he said.
“I urge everyone to help reduce the political temperature. Politics is not confrontation. It is not unidirectional. There will always be different political ideologies, but the goal remains the same: the progress of the nation. I firmly believe that no citizen of this country thinks against the interests of the nation,” he asserted.
Drawing attention to the bitterness often seen in televised political debates, Dhankhar noted, “Every political party has mature leadership. Every party, big or small, is committed to national development. It is the duty of the youth to foster and uphold this mindset.”