Bengaluru: Addressing the three-day 11th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region Conference being held in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said that our legislative institutions, Central Legislature, Rajya Sabha and Legislative Assemblies are the real temples of democracy where people’s problems are solved through discussions and necessary legal amendments are made. Pathania said that now the time has come that to increase the credibility of these legislative institutions, the elected members will have to conduct meaningful, result-oriented and qualitative discussions inside the House, otherwise people will lose faith in their representatives and democracy may be in danger. Pathania said that rising above party politics, we will have to change the level of discussions and both the ruling party and the opposition will have to ensure their accountability towards the people.
Pathania said that for strengthening the legislative institutions, we will have to keep making continuous efforts and instead of deadlock inside the House, we will have to increase the level of discussion so that we can solve the problems of the people through brainstorming and thinking and can play an important role in establishing a healthy and strong parliamentary system. Pathania said that through meaningful discussions in the House, while the legislature will discharge its responsibility with a pure conscience, the executive will also have to ensure its accountability.
Delivering his address on the topic “ Dialogue and Debate in Legislative Institutions: Foundation of Public Trust, Medium of Fulfillment of Public Aspirations ” , Pathania emphasized the importance of strengthening parliamentary deliberations to ensure transparency, accountability and inclusiveness in our governance system. Pathania strongly recommended new political consciousness, empowered committees, evidence-based debates and training of members to deal with limited debates and frequent disruptions in legislatures. He also emphasized the need for forward-looking legislation in view of emerging challenges like Artificial Intelligence (AI) .
He said that we have achieved independence after a very tough struggle, austerity and sacrifice, which includes the participation and sacrifice of people from different backgrounds, which cannot be denied. Our constitution mentions equality and freedom, which means that in taking every decision, people’s trust and their expectations and aspirations must be fulfilled, only then will we be able to actually discharge our responsibilities.
Pathania said that when public representatives speak in the House, they are not just giving speeches but are also echoing the dreams and struggles of their voters. Laws are made through parliamentary debates that change the lives of people and every policy affects villages, towns and cities. Pathania said that there was a detailed, respectful and emotional discussion in the Constituent Assembly on what India should be like and we should also take inspiration from this as to why debate matters. Today, while our Constitution gives the right to live with dignity to 140 crore Indians, it also gives us the power to change public representatives, this has been possible due to debates, dialogues and discussions in the Constituent Assembly.
Pathania said that in India, trust in the government does not come from speeches and slogans but from action and action is preceded by discussion. When an MP asks the government questions in the House about the farmers of Vidarbha or the shortage of drinking water in Bundelkhand, such discussion shows that their problems are not invisible but there is someone who represents them and is concerned about their problems and that is none other than their own. Be it an MP or an MLA, people’s faith in democracy increases when they see their concerns being raised in the House.
Pathania said that a leader’s trust cannot be built among people by slogans Rather, it is formed by his sincerity to serve the public and his participation in the debates and discussions in the Parliament or the State Legislative Assemblies. Aspirations are not fulfilled by promises but by participation. Pathania concluded his address by urging the lawmakers to make meaningful contributions in the discussions and maintain the dignity of legislative institutions.
