Guwahati:
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today said that Indian cultural ethos view the world as a global family and Indians believe that all international disputes should be resolved through dialogue.
He said that India regularly holds talks with other countries to resolve pending issues to ensure peace and stability, which are requisite for development.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) mid-year executive committee meeting in Guwahati, Mr Birla said, “Our Indian cultural ethos view the world as a global family. We believe that all international problems should be resolved through dialogue.” “Peace and stability are needed for development. Hence, India regularly holds talks with other countries to resolve pending issues,” he said.
Mr Birla hoped that the deliberations during the two-day meet, which India is hosting for the first time, will help member nations strengthen democratic institutions in their respective countries.
He said that India has been taking forward its democratic traditions, and increasing mass voter participation in the election process bears testimony to people's faith in democracy.
“Right from the village level bodies to the Parliament at the top, we have democratic process involved at all levels with 90 crore voters participating in it… India is the world's largest working democracy,” he said.
The Lok Sabha speaker said that the diversity in the country has strengthened its democracy, while the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world to face problems collectively.
Mr Birla, also the chairperson of the India region unit of the association, said, “I hope that in the CPA meet, ways to take good governance to the people and strengthen democratic traditions will be discussed.” Noting that the pandemic had pushed the meeting by two years, CPA acting chairperson Ian Liddell-Grainger urged the members to use the chance to connect, develop, promote and support each other in ensuring the deliverance of good governance to people.
