‘36-hour special session on Gandhi, SDGs a first in country’
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh assembly will hold a special session commencing at 11am on October 2 to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The session will have a 36-hour marathon discussion on sustainable development goals (SDGs adopted by the United Nations.
The United Nations had adopted the SDGs as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all the people enjoyed peace and prosperity by 2030.
“This is for the first time that a legislature in the country will hold an uninterrupted sitting for 36 hours to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary and discuss the 17 SDGs,” said Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit.
“We will urge the members to hold discussions freely and without any tension,” said Dikshit at the ‘Coffee with HT’ programme. The credit for convening a special session for a debate on the SDGs should go to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, adding the leaders of all the parties had assured him of their participation in the special session.
Dikshit exuded confidence that the members of all the parties would join the debate, which may stretch till late hours.
Dikshit said the issue of holding a special session to discuss the SDGs was not new. It was discussed at a conference of presiding officers in Patna and also at a meeting of leaders of different political parties recently, he said.
The state cabinet recently decided to hold 36-hour long session to discuss the SDGs. Dikshit said there was no specific reason to have an uninterrupted session. The members were keen to attend the session as this would be a unique experience for them too. No extra arrangements, like setting up special lobbies etc, were being made for the special session, he clarified.
There was already a canteen at the central hall and directives were issued to keep the same open till the assembly was in session, said Dikshit.He said the members would also be given special material about Mahatma Gandhi. About reports that the opposition may not take part in the special session, the speaker reiterated the leaders of all the parties had assured him they would take part. He said some leaders wanted more sittings, instead of a 36-hour session. Later all of them agreed, said Dikshit.
There had been no occasion during the 17th Vidhan Sabha when the House had to be adjourned for lack of quorum, he said. Replying to a question, Dikshit said he favoured sensitisation of legislators on gender issues.
He also said gender equality was one of 17 sustainable development goals that the House would discuss at the special session.
ON INVITING DIGNITARIES TO 36-HOUR SESSION
When asked whether dignitaries can be invited as special invitees to witness the 36-hour marathon proceedings that will be held to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, he said,“There is a provision for interested citizens to watch the session for which they will have to move an application with the Vidhan Sabha office.”