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PM Modi inaugurates G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit
“The biggest strength of any nation is its people and their will power and this summit is a medium to celebrate that,” PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi / (Image: Twitter/@narendramodi)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20) at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, on October 13, 2023. The summit was hosted by the Indian Parliament under the broader framework of India’s G20 Presidency with the theme of ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
Attendees at the event included Speaker of Lok Sabha, Om Birla and President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Duarte Pacheco, among others. Welcoming the dignitaries to the summit, PM Modi said that it represented a ‘Maha Kumbh’ of all Parliamentary practices from across the globe.
Modi underlined that all the delegates hold the experience of the Parliamentary framework from different countries. He said that G20 kept the festive fervour going throughout the year as G20 festivities pervaded many cities where G20-related events were organized during India’s presidency. These festivities were augmented by events like the moon landing of Chandrayaan and successful G20 and P20 summits.
“The biggest strength of any nation is its people and their will power and this summit is a medium to celebrate that”, he said. The PM also touched upon the constant evolution of and strengthening of the parliamentary traditions of the country with time. He informed that 17 General elections and more than 300 state assembly elections have taken place in India since Independence.
The Pan-African Parliament also took part in the P20 Summit for the first time after the African Union became a member of G20 at the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Summit in September 2023. The thematic sessions focussed on the following four subjects - Transformation in People’s Lives through Public Digital Platforms; Women-led development; Accelerating SDGs; and Sustainable Energy Transition.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the P20 Summit is taking place on the land which is not only known as the mother of democracy but is also the largest democracy in the world. He informed that assemblies and committees have found a mention in the five-thousand-year-old Vedas and scriptures of India, where collective decisions were made for the betterment of society.
Speaking about Rigveda, India’s oldest scripture, PM Modi recited a Sanskrit shloka which means ‘We must walk together, speak together and that our minds must be conjoined’. He mentioned a 9th-century inscription in Tamil Nadu which elaborates upon rules and codes of village legislation. “The 1200-year-old inscription also mentions the rules for disqualification of a member”, he added.
Speaking about the Anubhav Mantappa tradition which has been going on since the 12th century in India, and years before the Magna Carta came into existence, the Prime Minister informed that discussions were encouraged where people from every caste, creed and religion were free to express their thoughts. “The Anubhav Mantappa initiated by Jagatguru Basweshwara makes India proud even today”, he remarked as he underlined the journey of India from 5000-year-old scriptures.
PM Modi also took the opportunity to highlight the cross-border terrorism faced by India for decades killing thousands of innocent people. “No matter where terrorism occurs, for whatever reason, in whatever form, it is against humanity," he said and stressed the need to be uncompromising when dealing with such a situation.
He drew attention to the global aspect where no consensus regarding the definition of terrorism is achieved. He underlined how the International Convention on Combating Terrorism is waiting for a consensus in the United Nations even today.
"I have always believed that governments are formed by majority, but the country is run by consensus. Our parliaments and this P20 forum can also strengthen this sentiment,” the PM said concluding his speech. He also expressed confidence that the efforts to improve this world through debate and deliberations will be successful.
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