ABSTRACT
The Indian Parliament that remains a work in progress in its seventh decade, began its task of building the foundations of Indian democracy and its democratic institutions with right earnest. Seeped in the culture of national movement the leaders in both the houses were alive to their responsibilities, they used to come prepared and discuss each issue seriously, making the debates erudite. The opposition was thin, but strong in its role, not daunted with the personality with the likes of Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who served on both sides of the benches. So did Syama Prasad Mookherjee. Each of these leaders used to give due respect to the opposition leaders and the issues they brought in. Issues of corruption were exposed even by the members of the ruling party, without corroding the party unity. Parliamentary committees functioned with seriousness and were taken equally seriously. The decline set in the mid-1960s.
