New Delhi, Dec 10 (UNI) Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that criticism and dissent are the essence of democracy but it should be objective and dignified.
"While giving your voice, it should not be noise. We can be very critical. But it should be objective and dignified. Because we are not enemies", the Vice President said while talking at 'Lokmat National Enclave', in the national capital.
Mr Naidu also distributed the Lokmat Parliamentary awards, which was established by the Lokmat media group for best Parliamentarians.
"Politicians should understand that we are only rivals, not enemies. We are Indians. Everybody, according to their choice, of their own commitment to their ideology, are working in a direction. You may disagree with that ideology or programme. But you must also understand to respect each other. Respecting each other is our tradition. But slowly now we are seeing the tensions are getting developed and animosity is taking shape, which is not healthy for any democracy", Mr Naidu asserted.
Samajwadi Party patriarch and Lok Sabha MP Mulayam Singh Yadav was honoured with Lifetime Achievement award and party MP Jaya Bachchan received the award on behalf of him.
The Jury, led NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, former Lok Sabha Secretary General Subhash C Kashyap and Congress Lok Sabha leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, selected former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for Lifetime Achievement as a member of Rajya Sabha.
Former Union Minister Prof Saugata Roy as best Parliamentarian in Lok Sabha, Tiruchi Siva as best Parliamentarian in Rajya Sabha, Supriya Sule as best woman Parliamentarian in Lok Sabha, Viplove Thakore as best Parliamentarian in Rajya Sabha, Dr Parvati Praveen Pawar as best debut Parliamentarian in Lok Sabha and Kahkashan Perween as best debut Parliamentarian in Rajya Sabha received awards from the Vice President.
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