Lok Sabha Speaker may ‘informally’ raise the issue of allegations against India being raised in Canada
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said that India will raise “all issues” with the Canadian Speaker of the Senate during the upcoming Parliament-20 meeting of the G-20 nations’ presiding officers in Delhi next week.
Mr. Birla made these remarks while briefing reporters about the ninth Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P-20) of G-20 nations. He was asked if he would raise the issue of Canada’s Parliament being used to make allegations against India with the Speaker of Canada’s Senate, Raymonde Gagne.
“We will discuss issues that have been listed for the summit. Other issues will be discussed informally,” Mr. Birla responded.
India’s relations with Canada have hit a new low after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked Indian agents to the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and raised the matter in the House of Commons.
Mr. Birla said that the presiding officers of 25 countries and 10 Deputy Speakers from the G-20 member nations and invitee countries are expected to attend the summit. It will be held at the newly inaugurated India International Convention and Expo Centre – Yashobhoomi – in Delhi from October 12 to 14.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the summit on October 13.
More than 350 delegates are expected to attend the three-day summit that will see the participation of 50 members of Parliament, 14 general secretaries, 26 vice-presidents, the International Parliamentary Union president and the president of the Pan-African Parliament.
“The main theme of the 9th P-20 is proposed to be ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’,” the Lok Sabha Speaker said.
Sustainable growth
He said that the P-20 summit will have sessions on “Transformation in People’s Lives through Public Digital Platforms”, “Women-led Development”, “Accelerating Sustainable Development Goals” and Sustainable Energy Transition”.
“A pre-summit event, namely Parliamentary Forum on Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE), will be held on October 12 at Yashobhoomi. An exhibition titled ‘Mother of Democracy’ will also be organised to highlight India’s ancient and participative democratic traditions,” Mr. Birla said.
(With PTI inputs)
