Lok Sabha apologies to SL delegation
Embarrassed over AIADMK members shouting slogans against a visiting
Parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira
Kumar on Monday expressed anguish against the incident and offered
“sincere apologies” to it. “She expressed anguish and offered sincere
apologies over slogan shouting by some Members of Parliament in the
House when the visiting delegation were witnessing the proceedings of
the Lok Sabha,” a Lok Sabha Secretariat release said.
She made the remarks when the high-level delegation led by Sri Lankan
Parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa called on her here.
In Lok Sabha, AIADMK members led by M Thambidurai were on their feet
raising slogans on the plight of Lankan Tamils as Kumar introduced the
visitors.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta asked Thambidurai and his party colleague
P Lingam to take their seats. During the interaction, Kumar said the
visit of the Sri Lankan Parliamentary delegation would create new
avenues of cooperation between the two countries.
Observing that parliamentary exchanges play an important role in
strengthening bilateral relationship, she emphasised on greater
engagement between the two Parliaments.
She hoped that there would be comprehensive engagement between India
and Sri Lanka to ameliorate the social and economic profile of the
people and to find a dignified solution to the problems of the
internally displaced persons of Sri Lanka.
Speaker Rajapaksa, responding to the sentiments expressed by the Lok
Sabha Speaker, felt that India and Sri Lanka share many cultural and
social commonalities and that both the countries should make sincere
efforts in facilitating enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual
interest.
PTI |