Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday advised the newly elected members of the Odisha Legislative Assembly to maintain discipline, work hard, uphold the dignity of the house and not make any hungama in the house for the interest of democracy.
Inaugurating the two-day-long orientation programme for newly elected members of the Odisha Legislative Assembly Rijiju said they should not make any Hungama in the house.
After arriving at Bhubaneswar, Rijiju said he said he came here to share his experience with the newly elected members and not to teach the members.
He said he was very happy to see the convergence of young and experienced members in the Odisha Assembly. It was a very good sign.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Speaker Surama Padhy and other distinguished dignitaries attended the programme.
Both the opposition parties BJD and the Congress party skipped the orientation programme protesting against the invitation of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to the orientation programme as the Chief guest stating it lowers the dignity of the house.
BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallik in a letter to the Speaker said her party decided to skip the orientation programme as the invitation of the Union Minister violated convention and relegated the Chief Minister to the second position.
As per the Convention, all functions in Assembly premises involve only those directly connected with Odisha, she said.
The BJD leader Pratap Deb said the party would organise an orientation programme at its party headquarters Sankha Bhawan on August 25 to train its newly elected party leaders about the parliamentary norms through its senior leaders.
However, the Union Minister said the issue should not be politicised.
During the two-day orientation programme the senior leaders are scheduled to explain the newly elected members among other things about the budgetary processes,Assembly questions and other procedures for raising matters of public importance on the floor of the house, legislative processes, and efficacy of committee system in a democracy.
