By IANS,
New Delhi : The Indian parliament Sunday marked its 60th anniversary with both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha resolving to “uphold and maintain” its “dignity, sanctity and supremacy” to make the democratic institutions “an effective instrument of change” and to strengthen the “democratic values and principles”.
At the end of their special sitting to mark the occasion, the two houses, in an identical resolution passed with unanimity, said they will also “enhance the accountability of government” towards the people through the oversight of parliament.
Members of both houses also dedicated themselves “completely” to the “sacred task” of nation building.
The resolution, a culmination of the day-long discussions in which over 40 MPs from each house participated, was read out in the Lok Sabha by Speaker Meira Kumar and in the Rajya Sabha by Chairman M. Hamid Ansari.
The two houses remembered the “immense sacrifices” of freedom fighters and the “stellar role” played by the founding fathers of India’s constitution in “mandating equality, fraternity, justice, brotherhood of mankind and the uplift of under-privileged and down-trodden sections of society”.
The members also acknowledged with “satisfaction and pride, the maturity of the people of India, who have cherished the democratic values and worked ceaselessly for the unity and integrity of the nation”.
The resolution also noted that in the last 60 years, the parliament has, through making laws, taken decisive steps towards ensuring equity and justice in all matters and establishing an inclusive society.
“A lot more remains to be accomplished,” it read.