1 minute read
Members have freedom to express views in House: LS Speaker
First India Bureau
Manama (Bahrain):
Advertisement
Lok Sabha Speaker Om
Birla has said that India has a robust participatory democracy along with a vibrant multiparty system where hopes and aspirations of the citizens find expression through the elected representatives.
“All members (MPs) enjoy the freedom to express their views and thoughts in Lok Sabha,” Birla said during the General Debate at the 146th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) here. The 146th Assembly of the IPU is being held in Manama from March 11-15.
Birla’s remarks are being seen as a response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had alleged that mics were put off when Opposition members speak. He, however, did not mention the former Congress president’s name.
Reiterating India’s long-standing view that all “global issues should be resolved peacefully through dialogue”, he said “the Parliament of India has always held extensive and meaningful debates and deliber- ations on contemporary global challenges such as climate change, gender equality, sustaina-
Birla’s remarks are being seen as a response to Rahul Gandhi, who alleged that mics were put off when Oppn members speak ble development and the Covid-19 pandemic”. He emphasised that global institutions propagating peace, harmony and justice are crucial for peace, prosperity, sustainability and a just world order.
Birla said that in global institutions like the UN Security Council, there is a broad consensus among many nations to bring about reforms to reflect the realities of a rapidly changing world order.
The Lok Sabha Speaker also stressed that “reform in the UN Security Council cannot be de- layed any further”.
He said that it is crucial that the subject is included in future global agendas so that “we could contribute more and more to addressing challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, poverty, gender equality and terrorism”.
He said India is leading the world in the articulation of Global Climate Action Plan to combat the issue of climate change.
