During the ongoing Budget Session of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary reprimanded MLAs for repeatedly congratulating and wishing others during Question Hour on Thursday.  

Chaudhary reminded the ministers that Question Hour is meant for addressing public issues and should be prioritised over government criticism or congratulatory remarks. He emphasised that the time allocated for Question Hour is extremely valuable and should be utilised for discussing and resolving public concerns rather than wasting it on felicitations.  

BJP MLA from Dhoraji, Dr Mahendra Padalia, instead of asking a question during Question Hour, spent a minute expressing his happiness over the appointment of women presidents in three municipalities of his constituency. The Speaker interrupted him, stating, “You can express your happiness, but keep it brief. If you prolong it, time will be wasted.” 

The Speaker expressed his frustration, saying, “We should not waste Assembly time merely for offering congratulations. During the one-hour Question Hour, BJP MLAs repeatedly keep saying ‘congratulations’ instead of raising public interest issues.”

He further emphasised, “Question Hour is for addressing public concerns and giving voice to problems. Just as congratulations are not to be given during this time, criticism should also be avoided. There is ample time for congratulations and criticism during the Governor’s address and Budget discussions. These matters should be kept out of Question Hour.” 

Rajkot MLA Dr Darshita Shah and Congress MLA Dr Tushar Chaudhary also made the same mistake. The Speaker took notice and reiterated that Question Hour is crucial and should not be wasted.