Kohima, March 30 (EMN): BJP MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon today said legislators, as representatives of the people, should listen to the voice of the people whom they represented.
Participating in the general discussion on the chief minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu’s budget for the fiscal 2017-18 in the august house, Kikon pointed out that with the recent events that followed the State government’s decision to hold the election to urban local bodies, the State’s law makers may not have approached people in the right way or maybe because they have not understood the very praxis of consultation itself.
Stating that he felt challenged and encouraged by the chief minister’s statement to hold consultations, he felt that it was the duty of the MLAs to give meaningful suggestions as well as support to the leader of the house to address such issues.
“When consultations come, we must approach it with a mind to address the issue… I have seen in the past that consultations are usually held with all stakeholders, but it has been with an attempt to impose our decisions and opinions therefore we have not been able to discuss the crucial of uncomfortable issues,” Kikon asserted.
Underscoring the need to be willing to discuss uncomfortable issues in order to address them, he maintained that unless one is able to listen to differences of the people, or accept that there is a difference, leaders would not be able to address the
issues.
“I am happy and we are all lucky to be born in India, a democratic country where difference of opinion exists, where debates and consultations take place, this is not North Korea. We are in a state where the very nature of our democracy is based on the fact that we are able to discuss openly, freely, fairly and that spirit must be there in all the consultations,” he stated.
The MLA also suggested that in the days to come, in the right spirit and also responding to the call for consultation by the leaders, he felt that all approaches should be meaningful and have a humane perspective.
“We are elected representatives, does not mean that our opinions are the only opinions that exist. We should also listen to the voice of the people, as we represent them,” Kikon said candidly.
