Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said on Saturday that disruption of House proceedings, even if it was to make a point, was not the best way to put across one's views on any matter.

"If some members behave in a manner that hurts the dignity of the House, the matter should be discussed by rising above political commitments," the Lok Sabha Speaker said after inaugurating a two-day orientation programme for members of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly in Bhopal.

She said the Speaker had to make sure that things were "said and heard" in the House in a peaceful manner and this was a tough thing to do particularly when the situation was tense.

"Under such situations, the atmosphere can be lightened to some extent by taking recourse to humour," Meira said. The Speaker said the interests of the House should be uppermost in the mind of the legislators.

"The interest of the House lay in discussions on matters relating to public interest," she said.

Referring to media coverage of noisy scenes in Parliament and state assemblies, Meira said it should not be forgotten that the media does not create this ruckus.

"The scenes are first created by legislators and then only reported by the media," Meira said. The Speaker, however, said in her opinion the media should also provide coverage to constructive activities of legislators and parliamentarians.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that legislators should not develop the habit of "living in Bhopal" but spend more time in their constituencies.

... contd.