HYDERABAD: Youths, especially the ones studying in school, are said to hardly take interest in the Constitution or politics as they are immersed in the world of social media. However, when St Peter's High School, Bowenpally, organised a Youth Parliament in Bowenpally on Friday. Students who took part in it raised important questions on students’ mental health and increasing cases of suicide among students in India.
“We need a strong Opposition, a robust Opposition, both at centre and states. We need a united, constructive, responsible Opposition at this juncture. It is necessary for democracy, better governance, better future, better India, and better states," said the participants of the Youth Parliament.
It was a hybrid Youth Parliament. Sixty-two students of the school donned the role of parliamentarians and were physically present while 20 students from one schools each from Jamnagar, Zikarpur and Jaipur appeared virtually. Of them, 42 were girls, giving more than 30 per cent reservations. Children from schools in participated virtually. The Mock Parliament lasted for one and a half hours and was watched by 1,000 students. The question and answer hour lasted for 45 minutes. Students had prepared for this for three weeks.
Prof. Vijayalaxmi Bollampally, College of Law, Osmania University, was the chief guest. The mock house paid rich tributes to Lata Mangeshkar and observed one minute of silence in her honour.
‘Opposition member’ Sahasra Himachal asked asked why the government had purchased only 83 made-in-India Tejas jets but was importing 200 Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia. Anirudh Bondugulapati, the ’defence minister’. In a similar manner, 23 questions were raised on agriculture, education, women and child development, environment, tourism, power and culture. There was even a motion of breach of privilege.
Bills were introduced, moved for consideration, debated, voted and passed. A bill on the personal data protection was placed in the house and withdrawn by ’IT minister’ Bitanu Roy.
Dr Suvarna, Principal, said, the objective was to make students understand the parliamentary procedure, and help them develop an insight into the working of Parliament.
