MPs decry inaction on Parliamentary friendship groups

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted Parliamentary friendship groups for more than 60 countries in February in a step seen as significant to enhance inter-parliamentary engagement with the world. However, no meeting of the groups has taken place in the last seven months.

Many MPs appointed to these groups have expressed their disappointment over the inaction, hoping that meaningful steps would be taken in this regard.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, chairperson of the India-Suriname friendship group, told the media, “I was made the chairperson in February. But nothing happened after that. No meeting took place. There has been no correspondence regarding future activities either.”

The friendship groups for about 60 countries were formed on February 23, as a far-reaching move by the Lok Sabha Speaker to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations. Building on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s multi-party outreach post-Operation Sindoor, Birla institutionalised India’s Parliamentary friendship groups globally, appointing floor leaders and MPs from various parties to them.

Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen said, “My name was forwarded for the parliamentary friendship group for Cuba. Similarly, MPs from different parties were included in various groups. However, there has been no correspondence since February.” There has been no information as to when a meeting might be held, what would be the scope of work, or even if a meeting will take place at all, she added.

“There is no update,” she said. Echoing Sen, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sanjay Yadav said, “I was informed (in February) that my name had been included in the friendship group for Cuba, but there has been no communication or correspondence since then.” Yadav, though, expressed optimism, saying, “I hope a meaningful initiative will be on this.” The friendship groups were constituted for Sri Lanka, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa, Bhutan, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Suriname, Maldives, USA, Russia, European Parliament, South Korea, Nepal, UK, France, Japan, Italy, Oman, Australia, Greece, Singapore, Brazil, Vietnam, Mexico, Iran, and the UAE, among others.

The MPs and senior leaders named to head these groups included Ravi Shankar Prasad, M Thambidurai, P Chidambaram, Ram Gopal Yadav, TR Baalu, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Gaurav Gogoi, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Manish Tiwari, Derek O’Brien, Abhishek Banerjee, Asaduddin Owaisi and Akhilesh Yadav.

A few other prominent names were KC Venugopal, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Supriya Sule, Sanjay Singh, Baijayant Panda, Shashi Tharoor, Nishikant Dubey, Anurag Thakur, Bhartruhari Mahtab, D Purandeswari, Sanjay Kumar Jha, Hema Malini, Biplab Kumar Deb, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Jagdambika Pal, Sasmit Patra, Aparajita Sarangi, Shrikant Eknath Shinde, PV Mithun Reddy and Praful Patel.

In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, carried out targeting terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir last May, Modi took the initiative to send parliamentary delegations comprising leaders from various parties to different countries to present India’s perspective to the world.