Assembly Speaker and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Express Displeasure Over Absence
Dharamshala: Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and BJP MLA Sukhram Chaudhary abstained from the all-party meeting convened ahead of the winter session, surprising everyone and also drawing criticism from Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Singh Chauhan. This marks the second consecutive absence of opposition leaders from such a meeting.
Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania had called the meeting in his office room at the Tapovan Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday, a day before the winter session begins. Highlighting the assembly tradition, Pathania said, “It has been customary for the Speaker to convene an all-party meeting before the session. Leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties were invited.”
While Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Chauhan and Deputy Chief Whip Kewal Singh Pathania attended the meeting from the ruling party, the absence of Jai Ram Thakur and Sukhram Chaudhary was conspicuous. Notably, the Leader of Opposition had earlier agreed to attend the meeting at the request of the Assembly Secretariat but failed to appear, nor did any other BJP member represent the opposition.
Expressing displeasure, Harsh Vardhan Chauhan criticized the opposition’s approach, calling it a “waste of time.” Assembly Deputy Speaker Vinay Kumar also attended the meeting.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Kuldeep Singh Pathania urged all MLAs to raise the concerns of their constituencies in a meaningful manner within the ambit of assembly rules. He also requested the ruling party to provide quick and factual responses to issues raised. “I will ensure everyone gets a fair chance to discuss matters of public interest,” Pathania added. He confirmed that fifteen bills are set to be introduced during the winter session.
CM Sukhu Urges Opposition to Fulfill Constitutional Responsibilities
Addressing the media at Dharamshala, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the government is fully prepared for the winter session and encouraged the opposition to focus on issues of public concern. “Instead of creating ruckus and staging walkouts, the opposition should fulfill its responsibilities by participating in meaningful discussions,” he said.
The Chief Minister criticized the opposition’s tendency to walk out during ministers’ replies, saying it undermines meaningful debate. “The opposition must adhere to constitutional norms and perform its duties responsibly inside the House,” Sukhu asserted.
He further accused the opposition of lacking coordination and being divided on several issues. Referring to Jai Ram Thakur’s absence from the meeting, Sukhu said, “If he could not attend, he should have sent a party representative. Failing to do so goes against established norms.”
The winter session, beginning Wednesday, is expected to witness discussions on critical bills and public concerns as both the government and opposition prepare for heated debates.
