From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: “Development of the North East region is a prerequisite for the development of the country. A transparent and accountable Parliament is the very foundation for ensuring robust and equal growth of the nation while keeping the essence of democracy intact. It is high time to bring about a sense of emotional integrity so that the people in the region do not feel alienated from the mainstream narrative,” said Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan while attending the inaugural programme of the 17th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference and launching of North East chapter of Speaker’s Research Initiative (SRI) at Assam Administrative Staff College.
Speaking as the chief guest on the occasion, Mahajan also said that women from the region are more empowered than their counterparts in other parts of the country and personalities like MC Mary Kom, Dipa Karmakar and Hima Das are true embodiments of an enabling environment.
Touching upon the topic of insurgency in the region, Mahajan said that platforms like SRI would provide an opportunity to legislators and policy makers of North East to find out acceptable solutions to the vexed issues and take the region on the path of rapid development.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that possibilities of carrying parliamentary process to the urban bodies and panchayats must be explored for making the democratic foundation at the grassroots stronger while giving an opportunity to the elected representatives to debate and discuss matters at that level.
He also said that an effective Parliament is a must for scrutinizing governments and ensuring transparency while promoting good governance in a thriving democracy.
“There can be no democracy where the voices of the citizens are not heard through a strong and independent body of law makers,” he said.
Opining that Commonwealth Parliamentary Association India Region, Zone III which comprises of eight North Eastern States should act as nerve centre for good parliamentary practices to connect North East India, irrespective of race, religion and culture with rest of the country for a more robust socio-economic bond, Sonowal said that social and cultural ethos must be strengthened to help the newly elected law makers to imbibe democratic values for an inclusive and vibrant democracy.
Thanking Mahajan for her keen interest to open the North East Chapter of Speaker’s Research Initiative, Sonowal said that it would go a long way in ushering in the holistic growth and progress of the legislative structure in the entire region.
Commenting that Assam Legislative Assembly has made quite a long and commendable journey in upholding the inheritance of parliamentary ethos, the chief minister expressed optimism that the common platform of SRI would immensely benefit the policymakers of the region to take a holistic view of the issues concerning North East.
Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly Hitendra Nath Goswami gave the welcome address during the programme which was attended by speakers and deputy speakers of all eight northeastern states along with several MLAs, MPs and law makers of the region.