CPA session held on Sunday as LS Speaker free on the day

Shillong, July 29: Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma has defended that the decision to hold the 20th annual conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA, India Region Zone III on a Sunday.
When asked that questions have been raised from several quarters as to why the conference was held on a Sunday, Chief Minister said that they had to hold it during the weekend and even on a Sunday since Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla is free only during the weekend since the Parliament session is on.
“We had limited options since the Lok Sabha Speaker could come only during the weekend,” Sangma said.
He also said that the other Secretariat officials and other speakers are free and other officials are free only during the weekend.
According to him, the government also understands about this issue and it is for the specific reason they had asked the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to ensure that the program should start only after the services are over on Sunday.
Stating that respecting the religious sentiments of everyone, he said that they have organized the programme in such a way that it will happen only in the late afternoon.
“People can attend the programme after attending the service,” Chief Minister added.
“We had requested to the CPA how adjustments could be made and accordingly we have keeping the sentiments in mind,” Sangma said.