Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda has penned a poignant letter to Sonia Gandhi, imploring her to discipline Congress MPs amid escalating disruptions in Parliament. The Janata Dal (Secular) leader’s missive paints a grim picture of parliamentary proceedings devolving into chaos, urging a return to decorum.
‘Parliament has never witnessed such anarchy and recklessness in my long career,’ Deve Gowda lamented, referencing his 65 years in legislatures, 90% as opposition. He criticized the leadership under the opposition leader for fomenting excessive disturbances through hooliganism and non-serious attitudes that strike at the core of parliamentary democracy.
Recalling his own tenure running state and national governments, Gowda noted that legitimate oppositions he faced always showed restraint in national interest. He condemned recent spectacles—protesters blocking gates, mimicking tea stall rallies, and lounging on stairs with refreshments—as unbecoming of elected representatives.
Gowda’s appeal is rooted in tradition: ‘We swear to abide by rules and procedures upon taking oath.’ With global democracies under strain, he warned that opposition extremism could jeopardize their survival. Addressing Sonia directly, he acknowledged her past grace in opposition and hoped she would use her influence to prevent self-inflicted damage.
The letter concludes on an optimistic note, believing Sonia will take steps to ensure protests don’t destroy decades of democratic legacy. This intervention highlights growing frustration among senior leaders over Parliament’s dysfunction, calling for maturity over mayhem.