Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t mince words when he said, “Parliament is a place for delivery, not drama.” His comment has stirred up another round of debate about how India’s legislative body actually works—or doesn’t. Lately, Parliament hasn’t looked much like the engine of democracy it’s supposed to be. Instead, noisy disruptions have become routine. The ruling party calls the opposition’s protests “staged drama,” and Modi’s frustration is hard to miss.
Beneath the theatrics, there’s a real concern: parliamentary decorum is slipping, and governance is taking the hit. At its best, Parliament should be a place to make laws, debate them, and keep the government in check. That’s the job. But ongoing sessions… They haven’t lived up to that ideal. Chaos, walkouts, shouting matches—these scenes eat up legislative hours and leave little to show for it.
Cost of Chaos: Time, Money, and More..
There’s a price to all this disorder, and it’s not small change. Running Parliament isn’t cheap. Estimates put each minute of proceedings at about ₹2.5 lakh. So, every time members’ storm out or force adjournments, crores of rupees disappear with no progress to justify the cost. But money isn’t the only thing slipping away. Time is just as precious, maybe more. Sessions are tightly scheduled—take a typical Lok Sabha run: about 20 working days, 6 or 7 hours of business daily. Every hour lost to uproar means less time to scrutinize bills that affect millions, less time for ministers to answer tough questions, and less room to discuss issues that matter—budget, reforms, even foreign policy. Rushed bills, skipped debates, and missed opportunities pile up.
Opposition's Perspective
The true value of a purposeful debate in Parliament cannot be overstated. That’s where diverse perspectives come out, where legislation gets sharper, and where people’s voices become policy. If all that’s drowned out by protest, we’re undermining our own democracy. Of course, there’s another side. While many agree with the Prime Minister’s call for productivity, the opposition says its disruptions aren’t just for show. They insist that sometimes, protest is the only way to highlight issues the government ignores or to push back against what they see as heavy-handed tactics.
A senior opposition leader didn’t hold back: “When the government refuses real debate or bulldozes bills, what option do we have but to protest loudly? This isn’t drama. It’s about holding power to account when other routes are blocked.”
Towards a More Productive Future
Parliament can’t function if it’s all protest, all the time. But a silent, rubber-stamp chamber isn’t democracy either. Both sides have to step up and protect the institution’s real purpose: debate, scrutiny, and law-making for the public good. PM Modi’s call for “delivery, not drama” is really a reminder of what Parliament is supposed to be—messy, yes, but also respectful and productive. If lawmakers don’t reclaim that spirit, India risks turning its most important democratic forum into just another stage for political spectacle. And in the end, it’s the citizens who lose.