(By Brindaalakshmi K & Nikhil Pahwa) Member of Parliament (MP) Rajeev Chandrasekhar has started an initiative called ASK (Ask Seek Know) through which he intends to raise questions and queries of citizens during the monsoon session of the Parliament. Citizens can send their government policy or programs related questions and queries to Chandrasekhar by posting the questions on his website, or write to him on rc@rajeev.in, Facebook or Twitter. It's a welcome change to see a MP using the Internet to source questions for asking in Parliament, instead of just using it as an information dissemination platform. Questions in Parliament are an important means of raising issues, and holding the government accountable for actions taken or not taken, and MP's are expected to raise issues that citizens of their constituency are concerned about. Things aren't always very clean, though: there have been reports of MP's taking money for questions in Parliament: in 2005, 11 MPs from Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party were exposed by television channel Aaj Tak's sting operation for taking bribe to ask questions in the Parliament, as indicated by Times of India report. In addition, it's difficult for citizens to get in touch with their representatives - the government website lists details for contacting MP's but there is rarely a response or a reaction. Contrast this Chandrasekhar's initiative of publicly seeking questions: it not only bridges the gap between elected representatives and citizens, but it also showcases him as someone who is open to inputs, and willing to…
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