Coordination between ruling side, opposition has declined: Naidu expresses 'great anguish'

Asserting that political opponents should not be considered enemies, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday that political values have declined in the recent times and so has the coordination between the ruling side and those in the opposition.

Speaking at an event organised in the memory of former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat at the Birla Auditorium here, Naidu said the opposition must have the right to speak.

"For the strength of Indian democracy, it is necessary that political opponents should not be considered as political enemies and there should be no bitterness towards each other," he said.

"Saying with great anguish that today political values have declined and so has the coordination with the opposition. In a democracy, the government proposes, the opposition opposes and the House disposes. For this, the opposition must have the right to speak," Naidu, also the Rajya Sabha chairman, said.

Naidu also reiterated that every political party should formulate a