International issues should be resolved through dialogue: Om Birla

Guwahati, April 9 (IANS) International issues should be resolved through mutual dialogue and diplomacy, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Saturday.

Inaugurating the mid-year Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee Meeting, which India is hosting for the first time, in Guwahati, he said that international peace and stability are essential for global prosperity.

Referring to climate change, Birla emphasised on India's commitment towards achieving the targets approved under COP26.

He also mentioned initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and expressed confidence about achieving the targets under the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Noting that India has democratic values, Birla said that Indian democracy is not only ancient but strong, mature, and vibrant. "Democracy is in our thoughts and actions. It has become a way of life. During these 75 years of our independence, our democracy has consistently gone from strength to strength. Confidence of our people in democracy has increased over the period of time," he stated.

Highlighting India's success in conducting elections from Panchayat to Parliament, the Lok Sabha Speaker said that the country's perseverance and success in conducting elections to 800 parliamentary seats, nearly 4,500 Assembly seats and 2.75 lakh panchayats testify that Indian democracy is functional, progressive and successful.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has emerged as a prosperous and developed country," he said.

Emphasising that unity in diversity is India's greatest strength, the Lok Sabha Speaker said: "We are all united despite our linguistic, cultural, geographical and religious diversities. Democratic institutions of the Commonwealth countries are capable of withstanding any challenge. These countries should work with the collective goal of the welfare of humanity."

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was also present at the meeting, during his address, said that it was a historic day for the state as it was for the first time that the Mid-Year Executive Committee Meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was being held in India.

Assam Legislative Assembly, is one of the oldest in India, second only to Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Sarma said. Remembering iconic state leader Gopinath Bordoloi, he added that during the last eight decades, the Assembly has witnessed many historic debates with several towering personalities.

About the role of the Assembly in the State's development, he said that the Assembly has played a pioneering role in shaping the socio-cultural and academic edifice of the state while giving a major push to Assam's development narrative.

According to Sarma, it has passed many historic bills leading to unprecedented changes in people's lives.

CPA's Acting Chairperson and UK MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, enumerating several path breaking initiatives of CPA, said that he hoped deliberations of the mid-year CPA Executive Committee in Guwahati would go a long way in shaping strategies for global issues.

Union Ministers, MPs, MLAs, Secretary General Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh, state Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary and other dignitaries also participated in the event.

The CPA Executive Committee meeting was held offline in Guwahati after three years due to the pandemic. Over 50 delegates from across the Commonwealth countries participated in the meeting physically and virtually.