Bhubaneswar: The Congress in Odisha has decided to boycott the orientation programme for newly elected MLAs, which will be attended by Vice President of India C P Radhakrishnan on November 16.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das has also urged the BJD to join the boycott. Addressing the media, Das said that the President and Vice President are constitutional authorities and deserve due respect. However, he questioned the need for the Vice President to conduct a training programme for legislators when the state was facing several pressing issues.
“The condition of the state is deteriorating. If legislators are to be constitutionally empowered, they must participate in such programmes. But this government does not respect MLAs,” Das said.
He maintained that opposition legislators, including those from the Congress and BJD, were already well-trained and did not require such an orientation programme. “Training is required for BJP MLAs, not opposition legislators. They are against the Constitution and have failed to protect it. This training programme is meant to teach them how to become subservient,” the OPCC president alleged.
Das appealed to BJD legislators and other opposition MLAs to boycott the programme in solidarity with the Congress.
Reacting to the Congress’s decision, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said those who chose not to attend would miss an opportunity to learn. “Whoever does not want to attend may stay away. But I need learning. They seem to have already received training on how to create disturbances in the Assembly, prevent others from speaking and avoid debates and discussions. They do not need training, knowledge or reading. May God bless them,” Pujari said.
He also criticised the previous BJD government, referring to its 25-year tenure and its handling of cyclones such as Phailin, Hudhud and Fani. “People across the state know the failures of the previous 25 years of governance. Who answered for the deaths during Phailin, Hudhud and Fani? They used to claim zero casualties for 25 years. Whoever comes to teach me is my guru,” the minister said.
Vice President C P Radhakrishnan is scheduled to visit Odisha on a two-day tour and attend the orientation programme at the Odisha Legislative Assembly on November 16.
The one-day programme will feature three sessions. The inaugural session will be attended by the Vice President, Governor, Chief Minister and Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. The orientation programme will focus on the functioning of various legislative committees and their responsibilities. The Odisha Assembly has 35 committees, including four special committees dealing with financial matters.
The Vice President’s participation is significant as it will be only the second occasion in the history of the Odisha Legislative Assembly that a Vice President will attend a programme at the state legislature.