Indian MPs to Attend UN General Assembly After Eight-Year Break. An unofficial delegation of Members of Parliament (MPs) from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will participate in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) next month. This delegation, composed of representatives from various political parties, is set to attend the assembly from November 4 to November 8.
Although this delegation will be present at the UNGA, it will not engage in any debates or committee meetings. This marks a significant return, as the last time a parliamentary delegation was sent to the UNGA was in 2015. A total of 15 MPs will represent all parties, with Trinamool Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev among those invited.
The tradition of sending MPs to the UNGA began under India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to enhance their understanding of international diplomacy. However, this practice was halted in 2015. The Trinamool Congress has actively advocated for the restoration of this delegation, highlighting the absence of Indian MPs at the UNGA for nearly a decade.
“This is constructive opposition. We gave a suggestion, and we are happy it is happening,” remarked a senior leader from the Trinamool Congress.
The delegation includes senior MPs such as Ram Gopal Yadav, Tiruchi Siva, Rajeev Shukla, Sambit Patra, Sudhanshu Trivedi, Sasmit Patra, and Sushmita Dev. The Trinamool Congress has been particularly vocal on this issue. Last October, MP Derek O'Brien criticized the current government for neglecting this important tradition. He noted that since the BJP government took office in 2014, efforts were made to undermine the practice of sending Indian parliamentary delegations to the UN.
O'Brien expressed satisfaction that the government responded positively to their "constructive criticism." However, it is important to note that the selected MPs will not be able to participate in discussions at the UNGA as their predecessors did. Additionally, the government is expected to send a second batch of MPs to the UN soon.
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