Shimla, Nov 16
Leader of Opposition in the state Mukesh Agnihotri said that the Vidhan Sabha should not hesitate in providing information. He said that at times it becomes difficult to get information from Vidhan Sabha directly, whereas if the same information is asked through RTI , the process is much faster.
Addressing inaugural Session of 82nd Presiding Officer conference being held at Council Chamber in Himachal Pradesh Assembly he said that this historic places witnessed first AIPOC in 1921. He said that state assembly is fortunate to host the 82nd AIPOC when we are celebrating this event as a Centennial Year.
Agnihotri said that role of Presiding Officer or speaker pays pivotal role to develop healthy Parliamentary democracy. He said that in Indian Parliamentary democracy role of speaker or PO is sacred and there are instances when speaker refuse to toe party lines and resigned from the political parties to show their unbiases and quit active politics.
He said that opposition is the soul of democracy as it plays the role to raise public centric issues in a democracy. Agnihotri stressed the need to protect the voice of opposition in the house and advocated for allowing sufficient time to members for raising public issues by the respective Presiding Officer.
He said that number of laws were passed to stop the erosion of democratic institutions and insured the credibility of members belonged to political parties yet, despite enacting defection law, legislators and parliamentarians are changing sides and are indulged in defection.
He said that this august House had passed over 1300 legislations during its glorious past.
Earlier to him Speaker Vidhan Sabha Vipin Singh Parmar welcomed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Governor Rajinder Vishvanath, who joined the event virtually, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and other dignitaries present on the occasion.
