Restore ‘glory’ of House, pleads Manpreet

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 27

Finance Minister Manpreet Badal today said the Vidhan Sabha needed to restore the “glory” of the House in the decision-making process that was largely being handled by the ‘Executive’ (Cabinet and Chief Minister’s office) these days. He was speaking in the Punjab Assembly here today.

He said, “Principally speaking, the executive is answerable to the legislature. However, for the past 30-40 years, the legislature slowly weaned away from playing its expected role. With no active MLA participation in the work of assigned committees and later scrutiny of the AG reports, the MLAs have become mere signatories to the prepared proceedings.”

Manpreet said, “I have sought from the Speaker that majority participation be ensured, particularly the Opposition’s, for a collective decision-making process. The functioning of the committees need to be made more accountable. Action on the AG audit reports needs to be ensured by the concerned MLAs, seeking explanation from the names associated with loopholes in the reports.”

Agreeing to the opinion of the Finance Minister, BJP MLA Som Paraksh said, “The issue of involving the entire House in decision-making was very valid because the Cabinet, more often than not, took decisions which demanded a fair discussion in the House. It is the House that represents the voice of people and not the office of the CM and the Cabinet alone.”

He said, “The Congress government will have to be careful in distinguishing the subjects that merited only a Cabinet discussion and those which needed a discussion in the House. For example, the Cabinet last week decided that MLAs will be not be made any payments for foreign trips. Such issues, by merit, were required to be tabled in the House before any decision”.

Speaking in context of the AAP staging a walkout even before the election of the Speaker, Amritsar MLA Navjot Sidhu said “At least let the government begin its innings. We will all work together for the welfare of Punjab.”