Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla reaffirms India’s stand, says terrorism has no place in country

Highlighting the achievements of the P20 summit, Birla said the discussions at the summit covered a wide array of topics, including sustainable energy, environmental considerations, climate change and the empowerment of women.

New Delhi: Underlining that terrorism is a global challenge against humanity, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday said the world should come together to fight this menace.

Birla made these remarks while addressing a press conference in the national capital, adding that India has always been clear about where it stands on the issue of terrorism.

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“The Indian government does not support terrorism in any form or manifestations. We have clearly stated that terrorism has no place in our country,” the Lok Sabha Speaker said a day after the three-day P20 Summit, hosted in the national capital, ended.

Emphasising India’s unequivocal stand against terrorism, he reaffirmed the country’s commitment to global peace and security.

The Speaker also underlined the importance of not discussing the internal matters of any country in the highest legislative body, emphasising that such discussions should only happen when the issue has international implications.

Highlighting the achievements of the P20 summit, Birla said the discussions at the summit covered a wide array of topics, including sustainable energy, environmental considerations, climate change and the empowerment of women.

“India, being a leader in addressing climate change, showcased its commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before 2030, emphasizing carbon emission reduction and renewable energy development,” Birla said.

The importance of women’s leadership and their development for overall societal progress was acknowledged in the P20 summit, he said, adding that the summit also discussed the need for AI development with a focus on safety and responsibility.

Birla informed that the formation of an expert group for legislative drafting in future has also been proposed and the Parliament was working on it.

“We brought together representatives from 29 countries to discuss critical global issues. The summit witnessed a significant presence of parliamentarians and extensive discussions, influenced by the impact of the G20 event held in Argentina,” the Lok Sabha Speaker said at the P20 Summit.

A total of 48 chairpersons and deputy chairpersons attended the event, with the joint declarations reflecting unanimous agreements. “The P20 summit served as a platform for meaningful discussions and collaboration on critical global challenges,” the Speaker said.

At the close of the two-day P20 Summit on Saturday, Birla thanked all the dignitaries for their contribution to the success of the event in India. There were, in total, four high-level sessions at the P20 Summit. These were ‘Accelerating SDGs’, ‘Sustainable Energy Transition’, ‘Women-led Development’, and ‘Transformation in People’s Lives through Public Digital Platforms’.

The P20 Summit was hosted by India under the broader framework of its G20 Presidency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit on Friday and addressed dignitaries, saying it is the “Mahakumbh” of parliamentary practices of the world.

The theme of the summit was ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’, which borrows from the ancient Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is a family).