Kathmandu, Sept 18: Member of Parliament Santosh Pariyar says that a member of parliament is powerful while parliament forms as well as supervises the government. But since MPs are within the limits of the party there is little work that MPs can do on their own.
In a dialogue with RSS, Pariyar, who is the chief whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, said that even within the party the issue of ‘paralyzing’ MPs in a parliamentary system has been raised. “There is a need for a debate on this matter, if we can create a new thought or reach an understanding on it then the parliament will be very effective.”
Pariyar, who became a federal parliamentarian following his background as a writer, reader, teacher and civil activist, does not see a clear role of a parliamentarian. He admits that the MPs get confused in roles other than the role of a lawmaker because they are directly connected with the development and problems of their constituencies. Due to this dual role of MPs, the law making process has not been effective.
“Even though the constitutional and law say that the main role of MPs is legislative. But in our political practice, the role of the legislature is also connected with other development works”, he said.
On a question about efficiency of the parliament which has passed only two bills in nine months, he said as an MP, he should take the responsibility that falls on him but the main responsibility belongs to the government and the coalition parties that run the government. “The parliamentarians are holding discussions and participating in the committees on the bills that are on the table in the parliament.”
Furthermore, the parliament is authorized to oversee the government, raise the pressing problems of the country. While doing so, there may be differences of opinion between the ruling party and the opposition parties. In that sense, having a debate and discussion becomes a natural parliamentary exercise, but it should not go beyond the political culture.
MP Pariyar also emphasized that the parliamentarians should prepare themselves to take up issues that are not taken up by the government through a private bill. According to him, a successful legislature is to be able to take people’s issues to the parliament, establish them, inform them and draw attention towards them. He said that it is necessary to adopt the practice introducing necessary bills for social transformation through private bills.
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