Be instruments of social change, legislatures told

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, NOV. 6. The President, Mr. K. R. Narayanan, today exhorted the legislatures to act as instruments of social change. `The legislatures should try to bring about a social revolution,' he said speaking here after dedicating the newly-built Rs. 110- crore Rajasthan Assembly building.

``A legislature is a forum where the voice of the people is heard. The legislatures ought be educate people in a social democracy like India,' Mr. Narayanan said.

According to him, in States like Rajasthan and elsewhere where traditions and practices like sati and child marriages were prevalent it was the duty of the legislative Assemblies to educate the people.

The legislatures should play a pro-active role in liberating women and the poorer classes from age-old customs and social stigmas.

`The legislative bodies can play an active role in abolishing discrimination among the people and in creating communal and social harmony.'

Mr. Narayanan, who came down to the Rajasthan capital unmindful of the small controversy which had arisen over the ceremony, did not shy away from referring to it in his speech, which he delivered extempore after handing over honours to 28 senior members and former members of the Rajasthan Assembly.

Those who were felicitated included former Chief Ministers, Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Mr. Shiv Charan Mathur, Mr. Jagannath Pahadia, Mr. Heeralal Deopura, and former Speakers, Mr. Ramniwas Mirdha, Poonam Chand Vishnoi, Harishanker Bhabra, Mr. Gopal Singh, Mr. G. P. Tiwari, Mr. Samrath Lal Meena and Mr. Shanti Lal Chaplot.

``I have not come to inaugurate this building. I have come to dedicate the building to the people of Rajasthan,'' the President said referring to the BJP MLAs' memorandum which pointed out that Assembly building had become functional in March.'' It is an additional honour to me that I am also felicitating senior members of the Rajasthan Assembly,'' he said.

Talking about democracy, the President said that it had its roots within the Indian society. ``India is the largest democracy in the world.

It is also a unique democracy. It has an impressive structure of Parliamentary Government which reaches out to the grassroot level,' Mr. Narayanan said.

The Rajasthan Governor, Mr. Justice Anshuman Singh, in his address, warned against the threat to the country's political and social fabric from the increasing `criminalisation of politics and politicisation of religion.'

There was cause for concern in the increasing indiscipline in the Assemblies.

The tendency was to obstruct the ceremonial addresses of the President in Parliament and the Governors in Assemblies at the start of the session.

`In some Assemblies, even violence takes place. This is detrimental to the concept of democracy,' Mr. Justice Anshuman Singh pointed out.

As the proceedings of many Houses were being telecast live, sights of unruly behavior would give a wrong impression to the young people who were watching it, he felt.

The Chief Minister, Mr. Ashok Gehlot, thanked the President and the First Lady, Ms. Usha Narayanan, for coming to Rajasthan.

He assured the President to uphold the high traditions of the past 50 years of Rajasthan Assembly with the ruling party and the Opposition working in cooperation and cordiality.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, too talked about cooperation between the ruling party and the Opposition.

The Speaker, Mr. Parasram Maderna, welcomed the gathering.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : Talk of the town
Next     : All that glitters is not gold