AAP MLAs demand live telecast of Gujarat Assembly proceedings

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs on Tuesday raised the issue of live telecast of Gujarat Assembly proceedings during the ongoing Budget Session, calling for greater transparency and public access to legislative debates. The demand was highlighted both inside the House and during interactions with the media outside the Assembly.

AAP MLAs Gopal Italia (Visavadar), Chaitar Vasava (Dediapada), Hemant Khava (Jamjodhpur) and Sudhir Vaghani (Gariyadhar) were present in the Assembly and pressed for the proceedings to be broadcast live.

Speaking to the media, Gopal Italia said that the proceedings of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are telecast live, and that hearings of the Supreme Court and the Gujarat High Court are also available through live streaming on platforms such as YouTube. He added that several state Assemblies across the country telecast their proceedings through social media and other platforms.

Italia questioned why the Gujarat Assembly proceedings are not broadcast live when other key institutions function transparently before the public. He stated that the Assembly and government operate on the basis of public votes and taxpayer money, and therefore citizens have the right to know how their representatives function.

According to him, farmers, labourers, salaried employees, homemakers and other citizens should be able to see what questions are raised by their elected representatives, what discussions take place, and what work is being undertaken.

He further said that AAP MLAs had previously made written and verbal representations seeking live telecast of the Assembly proceedings. On Tuesday, slogans were raised and banners displayed inside the House to register protest on the issue. The party has requested the government to begin live telecast of the Gujarat Assembly proceedings through platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and television, stating that it would strengthen democracy and increase transparency.

Jamjodhpur MLA Hemant Khava also addressed the media, stating that since AAP MLAs were elected three years ago, they have consistently demanded live telecast of Assembly proceedings. He said he had written to the Speaker several times and had also drawn the Chief Minister’s attention to the issue.

Khava alleged that under what he described as a joint political arrangement between the BJP and the Congress, issues of public interest are not prioritised. He claimed that live telecast of the Assembly is avoided to prevent certain matters from coming before the people of Gujarat. He also said that in the past two decades, the Congress had not strongly raised the demand for live telecast, whereas AAP has consistently pursued it.

Referring to Parliament and the judiciary, Khava noted that even sensitive matters discussed in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Supreme Court and High Courts are telecast live. He said that the people of Gujarat have the right to see the discussions and proceedings of their Assembly, including the responses given by government ministers.

AAP MLAs reiterated their demand that the Gujarat Assembly proceedings be telecast live on platforms including YouTube, stating that such a move would ensure transparency and allow the public to directly observe legislative functioning.