Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference – Karnataka Assembly Sends a Message of Tradition Blended with Modernity; Discussions on Conducting House Proceedings Took Place in a Natural and Warm Setting
Bengaluru:
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, addressing a conference of Speakers and Deputy Speakers of state assemblies held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, gave a strong message regarding disruptions and lack of debates in Parliament and state assemblies.
He stated:
> “The public doesn’t want noise; they want solutions. We must strengthen our culture of debates.”
The host, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader, emphasized:
> “The longer the House functions, the more opportunity both the ruling and opposition parties get to present their views. This conference will help us take resolutions to improve the functioning of the Houses.”
On Thursday, during the 11th conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (India Region), representatives from across the country — including Speakers, Deputy Speakers, and other public representatives — participated.
As the chief guest, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla criticized the increasing disruptions in Parliament and Assemblies.
He said:
> “Public trust will only strengthen when meaningful discussions take place in Parliament and State Assemblies. Dialogue has been a part of our democratic tradition for thousands of years, and our Constitution further strengthened it.”
Referring to the Constituent Assembly Debates, he added:
> “Every word and clause of our Constitution was thoroughly discussed, which is why our Constitution is inclusive and visionary.”
Birla appealed to all representatives:
> “Maintain dignity and decorum in the House through your conduct. Repeated disruptions and adjournments damage democracy and harm the public. The dignity of the House is declining due to chaos — maintaining it is a collective responsibility. Political parties must introspect — only through debate and dialogue can solutions emerge.”
### Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Warns of Threats to Democracy
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah spoke about the dangers facing democracy, stating:
> “The biggest threat to democracy is dictatorship. Dictatorial tendencies do not work in a democracy.”
Cultural and Modern Message from Karnataka Assembly
The Karnataka Assembly conveyed a strong message by organizing the conference in a setting that combined cultural richness with modern This conference became a platform to reinforce the core democratic values of:
