BJD not to take part in orientation prog

Bhubaneswar : The Opposition BJD on Thursday said its MLAs would not participate in the two-day orientation programme at the Assembly. In a letter to Speaker Surama Padhy, BJD’s chief whip Pramila Mallik said inviting Union ministers to inaugurate the programme and address the MLAs goes against the established conventions of dignity of the Assembly.

“While we will have been normally delighted to attend and cooperate with you in the spirit of best legislative traditions, we have decided not to participate on account of our conscious objections,” she said.

“It is undignified to make the Hon’ble CM an ordinary speaker at the function within the Assembly premises. Relegating the State Chief Minister to a second category functionary in a function within the Assembly premises undermines the State and the pre-eminence of the State as recognised in our federal set-up,” she added.

Mallik said the Chief Minister is supposed to be before Central ministers in a protocol followed by the government in all functions held within the State.”This is a significant violation of protocol and undermines the dignity of the Chief Minister in his own State,” she said.

The orientation programme will be held on August 17 and 18.As per the schedule, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will inaugurate the programme, and Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will address the valedictory session.

The BJD has 51 members in the 147-seat Assembly.