Pranab commands Congress MLAs to attend Assembly sessions

Kolkata, May 15: Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee ordered the newly-elected Congress MLAs in West Bengal to be present in the Assembly during its sessions and be part of the proceedings.

A parliamentarian of long standing, Mukherjee said there cannot be anything more important than participation in House proceedings.

"If you have other important work to do, you can resign and that you can do here now. This is not my request, but my command. You have to participate in Assembly proceedings, otherwise it will be a betrayal of the people who voted for us", he told a gathering of 42 Congress MLAs.

He reminded them that it was not that they have to speak on every issue, but be useful in several other ways. "There are call attentions, mentions and you can even interject if a minister says something wrong by raising a ''point of order''.

The Union minister said he would take a class of the new members before the Assembly session begins to help them understand the proceedings and their rights and duties.

"Many bright professionals have come, I extend my best wishes to them," he said.

PTI