Vice-President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the two-day Orientation-cum-Training Programme for Members of the 18th Bihar Legislative Assembly at the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD) in Gaya, Bihar. The program was organized by the Presiding Officers of the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Bihar Legislative Council, along with the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat.
In his address, the Vice-President described Bihar as the 'Margdarshak' (guide) of India's democratic journey, referencing the ancient republican traditions of Vaishali. He emphasized that there can be no Viksit Bharat (Developed India) without Viksit Bihar, calling upon legislators to work toward creating opportunities that would make Bihar a destination for employment and development and attract migrant workers from other states.
The Vice-President stressed that while differences of opinion are natural in a democracy, commitment to the Constitution and public welfare must remain paramount. He stated that 'ideas may differ on the floor of the Assembly, but the Constitution must remain our common compass,' adding that healthy debate strengthens democracy while constructive cooperation advances the nation. He highlighted the importance of Question Hour, Zero Hour, and the Business Advisory Committee for smooth legislative business.
Sharing his political journey inspiration from the Sampoorna Kranti Movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan, the Vice-President recalled Bihar's pivotal role in both the freedom movement and the movement to safeguard democracy during the Emergency. He noted that while elections are won through votes, respect and confidence of the people are earned only through selfless service, not power.
The Vice-President encouraged legislators to prepare thoroughly before attending House proceedings and develop understanding of legislative procedures, committee systems, and parliamentary conventions. He called for embracing emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, and digital legislative initiatives like NeVA to make legislative functioning more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric.
Using the example of former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's political journey—from heading a government that lasted only seven days to becoming Bihar's longest-serving Chief Minister—the Vice-President emphasized that politics demands patience and perseverance, comparing it to Test cricket where success comes through patience and choosing right opportunities.
The event was attended by the Governor of Bihar Lieutenant General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, Chief Minister Shri Samrat Choudhary, Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly Dr. Prem Kumar, Chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council Shri Awadhesh Narain Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Deputy Speaker Shri Narendra Narayan Yadav, and other members of the Bihar Legislature.