MLAs hit out at officers for ‘not respecting them’

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 20

The state’s bureaucracy has come in the firing line for reportedly “not giving respect to lawmakers”. The MLAs voiced this concern at a two-day orientation programme which kicked off here today.

Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Brahm Mohindra, speaking at the inaugural session, said MLAs felt insulted at the hands of bureaucracy and that the instructions on official dealings between the administration and the elected representatives were not being followed.

He sought the intervention of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in the matter. “As per the protocol, the MLAs are above the Chief Secretary, but it has been seen that Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police are not giving due respect to legislators,” he said.

Some of the MLAs told The Tribune the matter had surfaced during meetings of different committees of the Vidhan Sabha.

The Chief Minister, while inaugurating the programme, said his government welcomed healthy criticism, but the Opposition should refrain from criticising for the sake of it. “All members should follow basic etiquettes and courtesies of the legislative procedure in the House.”

On the need for the orientation programme, Brahm Mohindra said that in light of unsavoury incidents witnessed during the last Budget session, it became imperative to conduct the programme so that new entrants got familiarised with operational mechanisms, parliamentary traditions, conventions and etiquettes. He advised lawmakers to study books on the conduct of business of the House.

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh said specialists and experts would acquaint participants about the legislative procedure and the correct manner of raising issues in the House.

Khaira welcomes move

Leader of the Opposition Sukhpal Khaira welcomed the move of organising the orientation programme for MLAs. He reminded Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh of the unsavoury incidents in the House, including that of turban-tossing during the last Budget session. He claimed some Congress legislators had behaved like Akalis, when they were in power. He reiterated the need to hold sufficient number of sittings of the House to allow members to raise issues concerning their constituencies.

50 MLAs turn up for training

Barring three Akali-BJP MLAs, other legislators of the party abstained from the inaugural session. About 70 MLAs from the Congress, AAP, and SAD-BJP attended the session.

Later, during the training programme at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute for Public Administration, about 50 MLAs turned up.

Legislators seek local area fund, CM says wait 

Chandigarh: Cutting across party lines, about 70 MLAs submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday, seeking the allocation of funds for local area development on the pattern of the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund. It was pointed out that during the SAD-BJP rule, no funds were at the disposal of the MLAs and the grants were given during sangat darshan programmes. Capt Amarinder said it was a genuine demand, but considering the state’s financial condition, it was not possible to start the fund. “Whenever there are funds, we can think of it,” he said. TNS