Patna, Sept. 9 (PTI): BJP MP Varun Gandhi today said he was against the idea of parties issuing whips on every issue and advocated that people's representatives should have the right to express their views freely inside Parliament.

He said parties issue whips on '90 per cent issues', restricting MPs from airing their own views. 'I am against the idea of issuing whip on every issue as I want to express my view also... Parties should not issue whips on at least 50 per cent of issues to let their members air their views,' he said while addressing a Parliament Conclave here.

The BJP MP from Sultanpur also advocated for the e-petition system, saying it is currently in place in countries like England, Australia and New Zealand. This system should also be adopted in India to give common people space instead of restricting the doors of Parliament for its members, he said. 'In this system, if 10,000 people sign an e-petition, the prime minister or the minister concerned will have to reply to it. When over a lakh people sign such a petition, it has to be debated in Parliament,' Varun said.

He said the time has come when people should also have a say in the scrutiny of policies and schemes.

'It is my opinion that Parliament should be the centre for formulating policies. It should not become a place for politics alone,' Varun said.

MPs have increased their salaries four times in the past five years, he said, adding, 'I am not against hike in salaries of MPs but I am certainly opposed to the system of Parliamentarians themselves getting their pay hiked.'

Parliament worked for 130 days a year during 1952-1972, but just 60 days a year in the past 15 years, he said. He said 51 per cent bills were passed without any discussion in the past 10 years, while 61 per cents bills were passed even without sending to the government's advisory committees.

Praising the Odisha government for mandating its Assembly to work for at least 110 days a year, Varun suggested that the Bihar should also follow it.

He stressed on the need for infusing new blood in politics, especially from a place like Bihar, which, he said, has no dearth of talents. On personality-driven politics getting prominence, he said there is nothing wrong in it as personality driven politics is getting prominence across the globe.