Fifteen Indian MPs from the BJP, Congress and several regional parties, including Biplab Kumar Deb from Tripura, are participating in the United Nations General Assembly proceedings in New York, with their engagements covering India’s UN role, development priorities and the work of key General Assembly committees.
Key Takeaways:
- Fifteen MPs from different political parties and regions joined India’s delegation to the UN General Assembly.
- Biplab Kumar Deb highlighted India’s development vision and the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi during UN engagements.
- Indian MPs addressed key UN committees dealing with budgets, administration, economic affairs and financial matters.
Parliamentary representation of India at the United Nations General Assembly has brought together MPs from different political parties and states, reflecting the country’s broad democratic and regional character. The 15-member group has joined India’s delegation during the ongoing General Assembly session.
The delegation includes BJP MP Biplab Kumar Deb from Tripura West. MPs from the BJP, Congress and several regional parties are taking part in various UN-related engagements and committee proceedings.
The parliamentarians began their programme by paying floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue on the UN campus on Monday.
MPs honour Mahatma Gandhi at UN headquarters
Deb said the MPs paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the UN Headquarters in New York.
He highlighted the significance of the bust, which India gifted to the United Nations. The sculpture stands in the North Lawn Gardens and serves as the first permanent sculpture of Gandhi at the UN.
According to Deb, the monument continues to represent Gandhi’s message of peace, non-violence and truth.
The Tripura MP also held discussions with Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, in New York.
Deb said Wignaraja appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the spirit of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. He said the discussion also covered India’s roadmap towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
India’s UN engagement discussed
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, P Harish, briefed the MPs on the country’s engagement with the global body, Deb said.
The delegation also discussed the work of the United Nations Development Programme in India. The interaction focused on how parliamentarians can contribute to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The engagements allowed the visiting MPs to participate in discussions linked to international cooperation, development and the functioning of the United Nations.
Indian MPs address key UN committees
Several members of the delegation took part in proceedings of important General Assembly committees.
BJP MP Banshilal Gurjar from Madhya Pradesh addressed the Fifth Committee in Hindi with simultaneous translation. The committee deals with administrative and budgetary matters.
Gurjar spoke on the scale of assessments used to apportion the expenses of the United Nations among member states.
Rajasthan BJP MP C P Joshi also addressed a General Assembly committee. Joshi, who heads the Parliament Committee on Petitions, spoke before the Second Committee.
The Second Committee deals with economic and financial matters.
Gumma Thanuja Rani, a YSR Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh, addressed the Fifth Committee in English. Her intervention focused on the organisation of work within the committee.
Delegation reflects political diversity
The 15-member group brings together representatives from multiple political parties and several parts of India.
The BJP has six MPs in the delegation. Besides Biplab Kumar Deb, Banshilal Gurjar and C P Joshi, the party is represented by Mahima Kumari Mewar from Rajasthan, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri from Karnataka and Sikander Kumar from Himachal Pradesh.
The Congress has two representatives. They are Rahul Kaswan from Rajasthan and Anil Kumar Yadav from Telangana.
The remaining members represent regional and state-based political parties.
They include LK Sudhish of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam from Tamil Nadu, Asit Mal of the Trinamool Congress from West Bengal, Priya Saroj of the Samajwadi Party from Uttar Pradesh, Lovely Anand of the Janata Dal (United) from Bihar, Sanjay Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal from Bihar and Rajabhau Waje of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) from Maharashtra.
MPs strengthen India’s presence at UN
Indian MPs traditionally participate in General Assembly activities in the period following the opening of the UN’s new session in September.
The current delegation continues that parliamentary engagement. Its composition also gives representation to different political viewpoints and geographical regions.
Through committee interventions and meetings with UN officials, the MPs are participating in discussions on administrative, budgetary, economic and development-related issues.
The delegation’s engagements also place India’s parliamentary representation alongside the country’s wider participation in the General Assembly and its work with the United Nations system.
