Bhubaneswar: Congress has decided to boycott the orientation programme for newly elected Odisha MLAs to be graced by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan in Bhubaneswar on November 16.
Announcing this on Friday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das also urged Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to join the boycott.
Das told reporters that the President and Vice President are constitutional authorities and deserve due respect. However, he questioned the need for the Vice President to conduct a programme for legislators when the state was facing several pressing issues.
If legislators are to be constitutionally empowered, they should participate in such programmes. However, this government does not respect MLAs, Das claimed.
The PCC chief aid opposition legislators, including those from Congress and BJD, are already well-trained and do not require such an orientation programme.
“Training is required for BJP MLAs, not opposition legislators. They are against the Constitution and have failed to protect it. This training programme is meant to teach them how to become subservient,” the PCC president alleged.
Das appealed to BJD legislators and other opposition MLAs to boycott the programme in solidarity with the Congress.
Reacting sharply to the Congress’s decision, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the legislators who skip the orientation programme would miss an opportunity to learn.
“Whoever does not want to attend may stay away. But I need learning. They seem to have already received training on how to create disturbances in the Assembly, prevent others from speaking and avoid debates and discussions. They do not need training, knowledge or reading.” Pujari said.
He also criticised the previous BJD government, and claimed that people of Odisha know the failures of the previous 24 years of governance.
It may be noted that Vice President C P Radhakrishnan is set to be in Odisha on a two-day tour and attend the orientation programme at the state Assembly on November 16.
The one-day programme will feature three sessions. The inaugural session will be attended by the Vice President, Governor, Chief Minister and Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
The orientation programme will focus on the functioning of various legislative committees and their responsibilities. The state Assembly has 35 committees, including four special committees dealing with financial matters.