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Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday emphasised on the need for a code of conduct for the people's elected representatives in Parliament and state legislatures even as Congress chief Sonia Gandhi advised the central government to behave more responsibly in the country's highest forum of democracy.
Addressing a conference on decorum and discipline in Parliament and state legislatures summoned by Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, Vajpayee pointed out that scenes of MPs behaving irresponsibly was undesirable, especially when they were being watched by the people on television.
He said such incidents sent the wrong message to the people.
"Those in power should try and take everyone into confidence. The Opposition should also cooperate with the government," the prime minister pointed out.
During the budget and monsoon sessions, proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were repeatedly stalled as agitated Opposition members clashed with the government on issues like the Tehelka scam, the stock market scam and the UTI scam.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, insisted that the government's 'arbitrary' behaviour had forced the Opposition to agitate in the House.
While she expressed her party's willingness to devise ways and means to maintain discipline and decorum in Parliament, she said the government must take the initiative in cooperating with the Opposition on various sensitive issues.
"We certainly can try and legislate decorum and discipline but I feel that the fundamental requirement is for a government to seek consensus and cooperation," the Congress chief said.
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