PM seeks support from all parties in Parliament

Expressing regret over the fact that Parliament was not functioning smoothly despite the government's best efforts, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday sought constructive cooperation from all parties to make the House live up to the role the founding fathers envisioned for it.

"It is unfortunate that despite our best efforts, Parliament has not been running smoothly," Dr Singh said while giving the K Karunakaran Award to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

"I would like to say that it is the job of not only the ruling party but all political parties to cooperate constructively in running the House. We should work together to make Parliament live up to the role and ideals that our founding fathers envisioned for it," he said.

His comments came in the backdrop of repeated disruptions caused in Parliament because of which it has not been able to function properly. Much of the current Winter Session of Parliament has been lost due to frequent adjournments.

Dr Singh used the occasion to shower praise on Mukherjee, saying, "There are few people in politics today who can match his long and exemplary record of public service."

Equating Mukherjee with former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran, he said, "All those who know him are familiar with his vast knowledge, prodigious memory and capacity for hard work".

"Less well known is that he is an avid reader with an abiding love for history, the arts and culture, not to mention his weakness for Bengali sweets," he said.