Kolkata, 03 July (H.S.) : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday inaugurated the two-day Orientation Programme for the newly elected members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, calling upon legislators to strengthen democratic traditions, uphold parliamentary dignity and work with dedication to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

Addressing the inaugural session, Birla said that the great visionaries of West Bengal had made historic contributions not only to spirituality, religion and culture but also to social reform and India's freedom movement. He noted that Bengal gave a powerful voice to the country's struggle for independence through the slogan Vande Mataram.

Emphasising the responsibilities of public representatives, the Lok Sabha Speaker said that every MLA represents not only his or her constituency but also the collective aspirations of the entire state. He urged the newly elected legislators to discharge their constitutional responsibilities with commitment, integrity and sensitivity.

Birla advised first-time MLAs to learn from the experience of senior legislators, study the proceedings of previous Assembly sessions and develop a thorough understanding of parliamentary traditions and legislative procedures. He said newly elected members should possess a constant desire to learn, understand and embrace innovation in public life.

Highlighting the growing role of technology in governance, Birla said legislators must keep themselves updated in the era of artificial intelligence and digitalisation. He also urged the MLAs to spend as much time as possible inside the House, carefully listen to debates and speeches of fellow members, and actively participate in legislative discussions to strengthen democratic discourse.

He further said that legislators should work collectively to enrich West Bengal's rich heritage, spiritual consciousness and cultural renaissance while contributing to the larger goal of building a Developed India through constructive democratic dialogue.

The Speaker stressed that the foremost objective of every MLA should be to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bengal and bring meaningful change to the life of the last person in society. He said achieving the vision of a Developed India by 2047 would require the creation of a Developed Bengal.

Birla also underlined that differences of opinion are natural in a democracy, but the traditions of parliamentary democracy, mutual respect and healthy dialogue must always remain intact.

The inaugural programme was attended by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose, and several other legislators and dignitaries.

The two-day orientation programme will include technical sessions on parliamentary traditions and etiquette, the role of an effective legislator, ensuring executive accountability through Question Hour and other parliamentary procedures, the committee system of Parliament, the legislative process, Private Members' Bills, the Budget process, parliamentary privileges and ethics, as well as emerging digital initiatives in legislatures.

The sessions will be conducted by presiding officers of various legislatures, Members of Parliament, constitutional experts and senior parliamentary practitioners. The programme aims to equip newly elected legislators with a deeper understanding of legislative functioning, parliamentary institutions and democratic governance, enabling them to perform their responsibilities more effectively.

Organised by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly in collaboration with the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the orientation programme will conclude on Saturday with the valedictory address by West Bengal Governor R. N. Ravi. Haryana Governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh and several other distinguished guests are also scheduled to address different sessions during the programme.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh