Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday asked MLAs to practise decency and simplicity while dealing with people.
“Democratic dissent is a right. However, while exercising this right, the legislators must not forget democratic decency. Under no circumstances, democratic dissent should cast a shadow on democratic decency,” the CM said.
He was addressing the two-day orientation programme for MLAs organised by the State Legislative Assembly in collaboration with the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
Stating that the Indian democracy continued to grow stronger by each passing year, Naveen said the roots of a successful democracy lie in the people and their unflinching faith in democratic values.
“As the people are the real masters in a democracy, I believe every elected representative must understand this. In whatever position you may be, the people are supreme. Therefore, the elected representatives should keep the common people at the centre of all their initiatives,” he observed.
He pointed out that the legislature’s primary function was to make laws and urged the MLAs to have an appetite for information and education on legislative procedures and understanding of socio-economic issues and policies.
“All our acts and policies are essentially directed at greater public good. The legislators should also endeavour to bring the acts and policies to the public domain so that people can be real partners in the process of change,” he added.
Concluding his address, the CM said a people’s representative must lead by example. “Simplicity should be at the core of our public behaviour. Leading a simple life can help us get connected to the people,” he said,
The programme was presided over by Speaker Surya Narayan Patro.
Among others, Deputy Speaker Rajanikanta Singh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha, Leader of the Opposition Pradipta Kumar Nayak, government chief whip Pramila Mallick, director of PRIDE (Parliamentary Research & Training Institute for Democracies) Lok Sabha, Pulin Bhutia and OLA secretary Dasarathy Satpathy also spoke on the occasion.
