New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Lawmakers should focus on ensuring word to word implementation of the Constitution and help poorest of the poor, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar said on Tuesday. She also hoped that the upcoming National Legislators’ Conference (NLC), to be held in Mumbai from June 15 to 17, will provide a platform for leaders to rise above party lines and focus on larger issues. The conference will be attended by legislators from across India. Focused on leadership, democracy, governance and peace building, the programme is expected to be attended by around 2,500 MLAs and MLCs from almost all state assemblies and councils.
”This is a unique initiative where representatives will get a chance to rise above party lines and discuss issues,” Kumar, who will also attend the conference, said. ”We are together against six ‘Cs’ — casteism, communalism, corruption, climate change, criminalisation, and colonial mindset,” she said. She asserted that legislators need to rise above party lines and ponder upon how they can help poorest of the poor.
”How do we take every word of our Constitution to the ground? Are we taking it to the rural areas, poor areas, ‘jhuggi-jhopdi’ (slum) colonies, rural income groups? We should see how the Constitution gets implemented…” she said. ”We do not have to criticise each other, or praise ourselves… we need to see how we can help the poorest of the poor,” Kumar added. Former home minister Shivraj Patil said the conference will facilitate a comparison in the way policies are made at different levels.
“The utmost significance of this conference is to direct our attention towards the policies formulated for the betterment of our nation and engage in fruitful discussions regarding their implementation and impact. It is imperative that we evaluate the present circumstances and devise appropriate measures to tackle the prevailing issues,” he said.
Sumitra Mahajan, also former Lok Sabha Speaker, said the legislators can discuss a range of issues.
“This conference holds a distinctiveness as it serves as a platform for MLAs to convene, exchange ideas, and gain insights into challenges faced by other states, ultimately seeking solutions. The core focus lies on stress management, constituency development, and the overall progress of the nation,” she said.
The conference, among other things, also aims at creating a permanent non-partisan institution of legislators at the national level for cross-learning and a channel for interaction between civil society and legislators.
Rahul Karad, convenor of NLC Bharat, said the conference is specifically designed to address topics such as governance, elections, and the challenges associated with them. “It is my belief that the tradition of convening such conferences should be upheld in the future as well, enabling discussions on development case studies, even in the midst of ongoing political competition within the country,” he said. The three-day conference will feature parallel panel discussions covering 10 key themes, including technology-driven economic growth, international legislative practices, and collaborative efforts between bureaucrats and legislators for social progress.
Additionally, a round table discussion with spiritual leaders will also take place.
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