Chandigarh, June 8

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region Zone-II Conference commenced in Chandigarh on Monday. The conference, which will continue till June 10, is being attended by Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Legislative Assemblies, Members of Parliament, MLAs, and officials of various legislatures from different states. During the conference, discussions will be held on parliamentary traditions, democratic processes, the role of public representatives, and various contemporary issues related to public welfare.

The inaugural session began with the National Song, the National Anthem, and the State Song. This was followed by the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp. On the occasion, a special documentary film titled “Haryana 1966–2025” was screened, showcasing the state’s development journey and achievements. Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Sh. Harvinder Kalyan welcomed and felicitated the distinguished guests present on the dais.

Among those present were Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Deputy Speaker Dr. Krishan Lal Middha, and other distinguished guests.

Addressing the inaugural session, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Sh. Harivansh emphasized the important role of an aware society and public representatives in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He appreciated the visionary initiative of Lok Sabha Speaker Sh. Om Birla, under which CPA India has been divided into nine zones for the first time, making parliamentary dialogue more active, regular and organized.

Harivansh said that the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047 can be achieved only through balanced and inclusive development across all regions of the country. He noted that the northern states have a special contribution to make toward this objective. Punjab and Haryana together contribute nearly one-fourth of the country’s wheat production, making them strong pillars of national food security. Despite accounting for only 1.3 percent of India’s geographical area, Haryana contributes 3.6 percent to the national GDP.

He particularly appreciated the Haryana Government’s target of transforming the state into a one-trillion-dollar economy and the establishment of the country’s first Department of Future, backed by a fund of Rs 2,000 crore to promote innovation.

Referring to future technological and environmental challenges, the Deputy Chairman said that public representatives must rise above immediate political concerns and focus on long-term national priorities. He stated that society and legislators must work together to address emerging challenges such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber security, climate change, crop residue management, water scarcity, and rapid urbanization through evidence-based policymaking and continuous engagement with experts.

He said that Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir are playing a significant role in realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat. These regions have made notable contributions in agriculture, industry, services, infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, and sports.

Harivansh said that over the past decade, India has achieved unprecedented progress in digital technology, space research, startups, healthcare, and education. Digital Public Infrastructure, Aadhaar, UPI, and Direct Benefit Transfer systems have brought new dimensions to good governance, transparency, and service delivery. Today, India is establishing a strong presence among the world’s leading economies and emerging as a reliable and capable partner on the global stage.

He expressed confidence that the conference would pave the way for practical and far-reaching recommendations to further strengthen democratic governance and enhance the effectiveness of public representatives.

An Informed Society and Public Representatives Are the Foundation of Viksit Bharat: Harvinder Kalyan

Addressing the inaugural session, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan said that an aware society and public representatives have a vital role in addressing future challenges and achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat-2047. While an informed society lays the foundation of a strong democracy, public representatives translate societal aspirations into policies and welfare-oriented decisions.

He said that India is the world’s largest democracy, and there is a need to make democratic institutions more effective, transparent, and accountable. He appreciated the efforts being made under the leadership of Lok Sabha Speaker Sh. Om Birla to connect legislatures across the country through a common parliamentary platform, promote digital transformation, and facilitate the exchange of best parliamentary practices.

Harvinder Kalyan stated that the Haryana Vidhan Sabha is continuously working towards legislative strengthening, capacity building, and constitutional awareness. With the support of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, various training programmes and workshops have been organized for legislators, officials, employees, committee chairpersons, and media representatives. Youth Parliaments and youth conferences are also being organized to connect young people with democratic processes.

He informed that the formation of subject committees related to environment, women empowerment, and youth affairs is an important step toward making the Assembly more capable of addressing future challenges.

Welcoming the Presiding Officers, Deputy Speakers, legislators, and parliamentary officials from various states, Harvinder Kalyan said that this regional platform, comprising Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Delhi, will significantly contribute to strengthening democratic values, exchanging parliamentary experiences, and enhancing the role of public representatives.

He expressed confidence that the various sessions and deliberations during the conference would prove beneficial for participants and generate new ideas and experiences for strengthening democratic institutions.

Democratic Dialogue Will Energize the Resolve of Viksit Bharat: Mahipal Dhanda

On the occasion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mahipal Dhanda said that dialogue, cooperation, and the exchange of experiences among democratic institutions constitute the greatest strength of good governance and nation-building. He expressed confidence that the discussions, suggestions, and experiences shared during the conference would further enrich parliamentary traditions and provide new direction and energy to the national resolve of Viksit Bharat-2047.

Chandigarh

Lok Sabha Speaker Sh. Om Birla today stated that the resolve of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) is a national pledge that requires the active cooperation of every citizen and institution in the country. He emphasized that to realize this vision, it is imperative that our policies, schemes, programmes and budgetary provisions bring transformative changes to the life of the last person in society. He noted that we must accelerate social change, strengthen moral values, and guide society in a progressive direction. In this regard, he highlighted that legislators have a pivotal role to play, as they are the most effective drivers of grassroots change through localized policies and public welfare initiatives.

 Om Birla shared these remarks while inaugurating the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region Zone-II (North Zone) Conference at the Haryana Legislative Assembly in Chandigarh. The event was attended by Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Sh. Harivansh, Chief Minister of Haryana Nayab Singh Saini, Speaker of Haryana Legislative Assembly Sh. Harvinder Kalyan, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs of Haryana Sh. Mahipal Dhanda, along with other ministers of Haryana Government and Members of the Legislative Assembly.

 Describing the 21st century as highly crucial, Birla observed that the global landscape is undergoing major shifts and the world is navigating various geopolitical tensions. Even during such challenging times, India is consistently moving forward on the strength of its long-term policies and plans, backed by good governance and a stable, strong, and robust legal framework. He added that while closely studying global trends in developed nations, India has introduced necessary and pragmatic changes from time to time, tailored to its own social and economic conditions. Today, the entire world looks toward India with renewed hope and immense possibilities; therefore, this is the time for collective efforts and comprehensive participation. 

The Lok Sabha Speaker called for a massive mass movement (Janandolan) across the country, so that every citizen feels a sense of personal contribution toward building a developed India. Expressing confidence, he said that when the participation of every individual is ensured, India’s collective strength—especially its youth power—will become so formidable that we will accomplish the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ well before the target year of 2047. In this context, he mentioned that while India’s growing population was once viewed as a challenge, today that very youth demographic has become its greatest strength. To leverage this, the youth must be equipped with skill development, quality education, and a mindset for innovation. He also proposed that the policies and laws formulated in our legislatures must resonate with the aspirations and requirements of the new generation.

Underlining the importance of public participation in a parliamentary democracy, Birla remarked that regular public discourse and meaningful debates should instill confidence among citizens that the House belongs to them and that their elected representatives are their true voice. Consequently, the discussions, policies, and laws framed within the Houses must always be driven by national interest and accompanied by enhanced public engagement. He asserted that greater public participation leads to deeper and more widespread social transformation. The more citizens connect with democratic institutions, the faster the dream of a developed India will be realized. He emphasized that whether it is a Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, Zila Parishad, Municipality, State Legislative Assembly, or the Lok Sabha—increased public participation brings forth new ideas, diverse perspectives, and constructive suggestions, giving fresh momentum to the pace of development.

 Birla further noted that the more transparent and robust a state’s legal framework is, the faster that state progresses. Regions with clear policies, just laws, and stable, strong governance naturally attract higher investments. Investors consistently choose destinations where they have complete confidence in the continuity of policy and law; hence, maintaining this stability is a profound responsibility. He expressed hope that during the proceedings of this two-day conference, there would be substantive and result-oriented discussions on vital topics such as the ‘Resolve of Viksit Bharat’, ‘Public Participation’, ‘Mass Movements’, and ‘Collective Responsibility’.

 The inaugural session of this two-day CPA India Region Zone-II (North Zone) Conference saw the participation of Presiding Officers from the legislatures of 12 states. Apart from the Presiding Officers of the CPA Zone-II member states—Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Delhi—the conference also witnessed active participation from the Presiding Officers of other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, and West Bengal. Detailed deliberations are being held across various plenary sessions on the theme, ‘Role of an Aware Society and Representatives of the People in Facing Future Challenges and Realizing the Goal of Viksit Bharat–2047’.

 Prior to the formal inauguration of the conference, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla also inaugurated the newly established Parliamentary Research and Information Center (PRIC) at the Haryana Legislative Assembly building, which is set to significantly enhance the quality of legislative work.

On the first day of the conference, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla also paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Haryana, Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh, at the Raj Bhavan, where they discussed various contemporary issues. 

The transportation for all delegates at this conference has been arranged via e-buses. Following the conclusion of the inaugural session, Lok Sabha Speaker Birla departed with the delegates in an e-bus.

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the Constitution is the soul of democracy, and every citizen has a responsibility to fulfill their duties towards the nation by listening to the voice of this conscience.

He was addressing the audience after watching the play “Samvidhan Ke Nayak” staged at Tagore Theatre during the cultural evening organized as part of the Zone-II Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), India Region under the aegis of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. The play was presented with the support of the Haryana Art and Culture Department and Ras Kala Manch.

On this occasion, Haryana Governor  Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh and Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria also appreciated the message of the play and the performances of the artists.

Praising the vivid acting and inspiring presentation, the Chief Minister said that just as Lord Hanuman in the Ramayana was reminded of his immense strength, the artists and writer of this play have similarly reminded the audience of their responsibilities towards the Constitution. He said such plays play a significant role in guiding society towards culture, patriotism, and national values.

During the event, the script of the play was also formally released.

Among those present on the occasion were Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Haryana Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Krishan Lal Middha, Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda, Development and Panchayats Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, along with Speakers and Deputy Speakers of various State Assemblies, Members of Parliament, MLAs, and officials of legislative bodies.

Chandigarh, May 12: Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda has demanded the immediate intervention of the Union Sports Minister regarding the case of Vinesh Phogat.
Hooda stated that the allegations being leveled by the Olympian athlete are extremely serious. “Vinesh Phogat has brought honor to the country on numerous occasions. In light of this, it becomes the responsibility of the Central Government and sports bodies to ensure that her dignity is not compromised in any way,” he said.
He asserted that if Vinesh Phogat wishes to participate in sports competitions—such as the Asian Games or other international event, based on merit, she must certainly be given the opportunity to do so. However, in Gonda, she was neither permitted to participate in the competition nor allowed to utilize the training hall.
Hooda further added that the functioning of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has frequently come under scrutiny. “It is therefore imperative that the Union Sports Minister himself takes cognizance of the entire matter and intervenes to ensure that no athlete is deprived of their rightful entitlements,” he said.
“In our country, there are only a handful of athletes who manage to reach the Olympic stage and possess the capability to win medals. Vinesh is one such wrestler. Even during the Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat had reached a position where a gold medal seemed within her grasp, but fate did not favor her in the final moments. Despite winning numerous matches, she was ultimately deprived of a medal,” he remarked.
Hooda emphasized that if Vinesh wishes to make a comeback through her sheer hard work and aims to win medals for the nation, the sports bodies should extend their full cooperation to her rather than subjecting her to discrimination.