BHUBANESWAR: The Congress has decided to boycott the orientation programme for MLAs scheduled to be held in the Assembly on November 16 in the presence of Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan.
Announcing the party’s decision on Friday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das also urged the BJD to join the boycott.
The BJD is yet to react to the Congress proposal, but sources said the regional party is unlikely to agree.
Talking to mediapersons, Das said the President and Vice-President are constitutional authorities and questioned why the Vice-President should conduct a training programme for MLAs when the state has so many pressing issues to deal with.
He said the orientation programme was unlikely to empower MLAs constitutionally and alleged that it was intended to make legislators subservient to those in power. Accusing the BJP of working against the Constitution, the OPCC president questioned what the Opposition MLAs stood to gain from the programme.
“Training is required for BJP MLAs, not Opposition legislators. They (BJP) are against the Constitution and have failed to protect it. This training programme is meant to teach them how to become subservient,” he said.
Responding to the Congress boycott call, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said legislators who skipped the programme would miss an opportunity to learn.
“Whoever does not want to attend may stay away. 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,” he said.
Radhakrishnan is scheduled to visit Odisha on a two-day tour and attend the orientation programme at the state Assembly on November 16. The programme will have three sessions focusing on the functioning of various legislative committees and their responsibilities. The state Assembly has 35 committees.