Active Public Participation and an Aware Society are Essential for Building a Viksit Haryana: Harvinder Kalyan

Citizens to be made aware of constitutional values and the functioning of the legislature through Samvidhan Pakhwada

Several initiatives to strengthen the legislature launched in Haryana Vidhan Sabha with the support of Lok Sabha and guidance of Speaker Om Birla

Chandigarh, 

Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Sh. Harvinder Kalyan said that the vision of a fully developed Haryana can be realised only through the active participation of society and by building an aware and conscious citizenry. Public representatives play an important role in society, as people listen to them and follow their conduct. Therefore, every public representative should resolve to become a role model for society and strengthen constitutional values and public participation.

Sh. Harvinder Kalyan was addressing the inaugural session of the Janpratinidhi Sammelan organised by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha under Samvidhan Pakhwada at Indradhanush Auditorium in Panchkula on Monday. He said that the day holds special significance in the history of Haryana, as present and former public representatives of the state have gathered at one platform. The conference provides an opportunity not only to recall Haryana's 60-year journey but also to determine their role in building a developed Haryana in the future. Lok Sabha Speaker Sh. Om Birla, Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, Leader of Opposition Sh. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Dr. Krishan Middha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sh. Mahipal Dhanda, along with other Ministers and MLAs, were present on the occasion. The Lok Sabha Speaker inaugurated the conference by lighting the ceremonial lamp.

Welcoming the chief guest, Lok Sabha Speaker Sh. Om Birla, Sh. Harvinder Kalyan said that under his leadership, continuous efforts are being made to strengthen the legislative bodies and legislatures of all states across the country. Sharing best practices and innovations among different Legislative Assemblies provides inspiration and guidance to all. He said that with the guidance of Sh. Om Birla and the support of the Lok Sabha, several initiatives have also been launched in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha to strengthen the legislature.

Sh. Harvinder Kalyan also expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, saying that the Chief Minister consistently extends support to the activities and programmes of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. He also welcomed Leader of Opposition Sh. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sh. Mahipal Dhanda, Deputy Speaker Dr. Krishan Lal Middha, Ministers, present and former MLAs and all other dignitaries attending the conference.

He said that when Haryana was formed as a separate state in 1966, it faced the challenge of limited resources. At that time, people were uncertain about how the new state would progress. However, through the hard work of the elders, farmers, labourers and entrepreneurs, and the able leadership provided from time to time, Haryana has today established a distinct identity on the national map. The state's sportspersons and brave soldiers have also enhanced Haryana's pride through their dedication, courage and hard work.

The Vidhan Sabha Speaker said that present and former public representatives have contributed to the state's progress through their experience, struggles and hard work. They raised people's issues through discussions in the Assembly, played an important role in policymaking and legislation, and provided direction to society during difficult circumstances. He expressed hope that the experience of senior public representatives during the forthcoming sessions of the conference would provide valuable guidance to new and young legislators.

Sh. Kalyan said that, with the support of the Lok Sabha, conferences have been organised in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha to enhance public interest and awareness regarding the parliamentary system, legislature and constitutional values. Training workshops have also been conducted to improve the efficiency and capabilities of public representatives, officers and employees. The Lok Sabha has extended significant support to these initiatives, for which he expressed special gratitude to Lok Sabha Speaker Sh. Om Birla.

He informed that various programmes during Samvidhan Pakhwada would aim to create public awareness and facilitate discussions on the role of public representatives and ways to enhance public participation. A Yuva Sansad will also be organised, while a special session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha will be held on Samvidhan Diwas. In addition, conferences will be organised for women as well as public representatives from Panchayats and local bodies.

The Vidhan Sabha Speaker said that the Janpratinidhi Sammelan provides an opportunity for everyone to make a collective resolve. Learning from the past and drawing upon their experiences, all public representatives should work together towards building a developed Haryana. He emphasised that comprehensive development cannot be envisioned without public participation and awareness. Every public representative should play an active role in creating awareness among people in their respective constituencies and connecting them with the development process.

Equal Voting Rights for All Is One of the Constitution’s Greatest Contributions: Bhupinder Singh Hooda

Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Legislative Assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, expressed his gratitude to Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan for organising the conference and welcomed Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. He said the event had provided an excellent opportunity for elected representatives to express their views and listen to one another.

Hooda said that before the adoption of the Constitution, every citizen in the country did not enjoy the right to vote. The right to vote was then restricted by certain eligibility criteria, including income, land ownership and educational qualifications. However, after Independence, the Constitution granted universal adult suffrage to all citizens, ensuring equal voting rights for everyone, irrespective of whether they are rich or poor. He described this as one of the most significant contributions of the Constitution.

He further said that elected representatives are not limited to Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs); they include representatives at every level, from Panchayat members and Sarpanches to those serving in Parliament. According to him, the performance of a public representative should be judged on three key parameters: listening to the people, responding to their concerns and ensuring accountability.

He emphasised that public representatives must understand people's expectations and formulate laws and policies that address their concerns, resolve their problems and meet their aspirations.

The Leader of the Opposition also said that although the ruling party and the Opposition may have different ideologies in a democracy, their ultimate objective should remain the same — public welfare and the progress of the state.

 The programme was also addressed by former minister Prof. Ram Bilas Sharma, former minister Ashok Kumar Arora,former minister Om Prakash Dhankar, former Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma, former Assembly Speaker and former minister Kanwar Pal, former minister Geeta Bhukkal, former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, MLA Savitri Jindal, former minister Prof. Sampat Singh, former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Santosh Yadav, former minister Kiran Choudhry, former minister Karan Singh Dalal, former MLA Lahri Singh, former MLA Kailash Chandra Sharma, Chief Whip Ram Kumar Kashyap, former minister Prof. Chhatar Pal, former Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, Dr. Shiv Shankar Bhardwaj, Subhash Katyal among others state.