Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 24 Feb: Cabinet Minister and senior BJP leader Satpal Maharaj has accused the Congress and its leaders of consistently misleading the people of the country and the state. Commenting on the duration of the Assembly session being held in Bhararisain (Gairsain), he said Congress leaders are making baseless statements and attempting to confuse the public.
Maharaj stated that the duration and agenda of the Assembly session are decided in the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the Legislative Assembly, in which the Leader of the Opposition and senior legislators from various parties participate. He questioned why Congress did not express its intention to extend the session’s duration during the committee meeting, if it genuinely wanted the session to be longer. He alleged that Congress leaders are now making contradictory statements in public by demanding a 30-day session, despite not raising the issue in the committee meeting.
Targeting Congress further, Maharaj said that those now demanding a month-long Assembly session should reflect on their own record. He pointed out that during Congress governments, the Assembly sessions held in Bhararisain (Gairsain) lasted only three days in 2014, two days in 2015, and two days in 2016. He questioned that, if Congress was truly concerned about Gairsain and the hill region, why were the sessions during their tenure conducted for such short durations.
Rejecting Congress’s claim that MLAs are unable to raise their questions due to the shorter session period, Maharaj clarified that Question Hour in the Assembly lasts only 45 minutes to one hour. He emphasised that raising questions and resolving public issues is a continuous process and not limited solely to the days when the Assembly is in session.
Expressing his personal opinion regarding the Bhararisain (Gairsain) Assembly, Maharaj said that a mini-secretariat should be established there. He stated that this would enhance the government’s administrative efficiency, accelerate infrastructure development, boost the local economy, and create employment opportunities for the people.
