Handful throttles 'silent majority': Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: Leader of the Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today lamented that a handful of members throttle "silent majority" and called for a mechanism that will eliminate disruptions.

"On many occasions, this House has been tumultuous, tempers ran high, but disruptions was the least this House has adopted. Because when we disrupt the House then it serves no purpose. We cannot hear. We cannot speak. Only a handful of members completely throttle the desire of a silent majority to speak," Mukherjee said, initiating the debate to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament.

Mukherjee said Parliament has acted as a "shock absorber" on several occasions and whenever there have been disputes, dissensions, the Lok Sabha has played a role in defusing it.

"Whenever there were tensions, disputes and dissensions, it has come to this House and under this great dome we have been able to defuse that on most occasions," he said.

Mukherjee noted there has been confrontation in the federal structure between various organs of the government and judiciary, executive and legislature.

"But over the years we have evolved a system and able to find an amicable solution," he said.