lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said difference in political views should not hinder pace of development because a country could progress only if states prospered. “There may be a difference in the political ideology between the state and Central Governments but all the parties want development. The mantra is simple: states can take country a few notches higher on the developmental scale,” Mahajan added while inaugurating 77th Conference of Presiding Officers of legislative Bodies in India here on Saturday.
She pointed out: “Choice of roads may be different but the goal of all political parties is the same. All parties want a strong state-Centre relationship and we have to see as to how presiding officers can play a stellar role in this endeavour.” She observed as presiding officers were people’s representatives, there was an urgent need for the legislature bodies to play an active role in the development. “There can be a difference of opinion between political leaders but there is no place for difference of perception,” she said.
She also raised the issue of frequent disruption of Parliament and state Assemblies with members rushing into the well of the House. “The common man on the street who watches proceedings (of lok Sabha) feels deceived. He wants people’s representatives to raise issues about roads and water. Instead they are shown pandemonium in the well of the House. They now question as why these members cannot be disqualified immediately. Why the onus is on the Speaker to take action against such erring ParliamentariansIJ” she asked.
lauding the efforts of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was present on the dais, the lok Sabha Speaker said such young and dynamic Chief Minister would have to play an important role in the development of the state. She said people had high expectations from them. She even suggested Akhilesh Yadav that he also could not escape from his responsibilities. “If UP goes up, then India automatically will also move up,” she said.
Mahajan fixed two agenda for discussion during the conference, namely, first, the role of Parliament in the development and, secondly, paperless proceedings in the Houses. She called upon presiding officers from different states participating in the conference to seriously discuss the issues. Mahajan informed them that it was a platform to exchange views and asked them to suggest ideas that could legislative reforms.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, in his address, said that such conferences would help in bringing uniformity in the functioning of the state legislatures. ‘The presiding officers through their experiences and exchange of views pave a way that lends a helping hand to the efficient performance of state legislatures,” he opined. “I hope that the mutual discussion and deliberations of this conference will produce such precedents that will help in the proper conduct of the House,” he asserted.
lauding women’s empowerment, junior Yadav said it was a matter of great pride that Sumitra Mahajan became the lok Sabha Speaker just after the first woman Speaker Meira Kumar bowed out. In his welcome address, UP Assembly Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey said frequent disruption of the question hour as a result of which the House was deprived of positive discussion on important issues and legislations,” he said.
Pandey hoped that some concrete result would emerge in the conference for strengthening of the Parliamentary system. Chairman, UP legislative Council, Ganesh Shanker Pandey proposed a motion of thanks. The conference was held in UP after 29 years. Earlier, it was held in 1961 and 1985. The conference would end on Sunday with the address of Governor Ram Naik.