MPs try to overtake from the wrong side or break traffic rules: Javed Akhtar on Parliament logjam

Parliament disruptions are like traffic jams and there is chaos as MPs try to overtake from the wrong side or break traffic signals, says former Rajya Sabha member Javed Akhtar.

He also emphasises on the need to trust and respect each other to function in harmony.

“I drive on the left, you drive on the left and when you see the signal, you stop if you are a decent person. Is it morality? No. Because if you drive on the right side, either you will get hit or you will hit somebody, or you will create a traffic jam and also trap yourself,” he says.  These remarks find mention in the book “What After Money and Fame” in which author Sonia Golani through a series of in-depth conversations with some of the country’s luminaries, attempts to throw light on the measure of a life well lived.

Also Read: Parliament Live Day 7 | Currency ban debate: Demonetisation a monumental mismanagement, GDP can decrease by up to 2%, says Manmohan in RS

In reply to her question on what citizens get by electing their representatives to Parliament as all they find is logjams and disruptions, Akhtar, whose tenure in the Upper House ended earlier this year, says, “Exactly!”

“All these are traffic jams. There is chaos because it’s like people in the Parliament are trying to overtake from the wrong side or trying to break traffic signals.” He also speaks on a host of other things like how his experience in Parliament was, what awards mean to him, his views on films and music and how much money is enough. 

Among other people whom Golani talks to in the book, published by Penguin Random House, are industrialist Adi Godrej, architect Hafeez Contractor, lawyer Harish Salve, Union minister Jayant Sinha and Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy.

What lies beyond material triumph for these people? What is it that continues to motivate and sustain them? How much money do they think amounts to enough for individuals? What is the core philosophy of their life that has helped them achieve what they have?

Golani asks them questions such as these.