December 5, 2013
WB CM salutes the spirit of democracy at Assembly`s Platinum Jubilee function
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee while addressing at the Closing Ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of WB Legislative Assembly, saluted the spirit of democracy and glorious history of the House.
She said that over the years, every section of society has got due representation in Legislature. With passing years the trend will only increase, she opined. She highlighted the developmental initiatives taken up by the present government. She lauded the MLAs of Jangalmahal for the prevailing peaceful situation in the Maoist zone. She recollected the contribution of legendary freedom fighters like Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the occasion. She urged for broader administrative, electoral and political reforms to enrich Indian democracy.
Addressing those MLAs who stayed out of the Closing celebration programme, she said, “Walking away from a session of the state Assembly with placards strung round the neck is not the way to hold an agitation“.
“This is a place where one can speak about the problems of the people who have elected me… If one does not come he/she closes the option to voice their grievances.“ she said. “I remember Opposition members who supported my cause being threatened with cancellation of their membership of the House,“ the chief minister added.
“I have done lot of movements in my life. A revolution is a continuous process… it requires sacrifice, dedication, devotion, discipline, control. Only displaying a placard for two minutes and clicking a photo is not a movement. I had struggled for 35 years and I know what movement is,“ said the Chief Minister.
“The Assembly is above everything. There is something called political courtesy. Jokhon suit korbe ashbo, jokhon suit korbe na ashbo na (we will come to the House as and when it suits us). One party may come, one party may go, but democracy will continue forever. Ishwar-Allah forgive them,“ she said in her address to the Assembly. “There can be any number of debates but certain days have their special significance. I have never seen abstention from such events,“ she said.
Drawing a distinction between politics and the House, the chief minister said: “Political decisions, political publicity and the House are separate entities. Political views can be expressed outside the Assembly but inside, it is for the people only,“ she said.
“There is no place for rigidity and ego in democracy,“ she added.
