INDIA NEWS

On the occasion of the annual conference of the Liberal Democrats party being currently held in Bournemouth, the High Commissioner of India Mr. Nareshwar Dayal yesterday hosted a reception for the Lib-Dem Friends of India group. The reception was attended by Lib-Dem Party President Lord Navneet Dholakia,  the Deputy Leader in the House of Commons Mr.Alan Beith, MP, the Deputy Leader in the House of Lords Baroness Shirley Williams, and a number of senior MPs, MEPs, Councillors and members of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh assembly.

Speaking at the reception, Mr. Alan Beith referred to the dramatic events unfolding in India’s neighbourhood following the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11. He said that in the present situation, he wanted to particularly reiterate the Lib-Dem party’s strong commitment to minority communities. 

Baroness Williams said that while she had always been a fan of India’s great heritage, she was now also an admirer of the Indians’ sense of innovation and flair with information technology. She applauded India’s abiding commitment to democracy and reserve 30% of elected seats for women, citing this as an example that the United Kingdom would do well to follow. Baroness Williams concluded her remarks by expressing appreciation for the role played by Lord Dholakia as a bridge between India and the United Kingdom and the initiatives taken by India’s Prime Minister to bring peace and stability to South Asia and India’s contribution to the cause of international comity and rule of law. 

Lord Dholakia spoke of the contribution to the United Kingdom by immigrants from the Indian sub-continent, in particular in areas like health care, transport, and the restaurants sector. Expressing pride over the shared values of Indian democracy and the principles of the Lib-Dem party, he emphasised on the need to strengthen the Lib-Dem Friends of India group and proposed an early visit to India so that members could acquire a first-hand understanding of key issues.  

High Commissioner congratulated the Lib-Dem Friends of India on the occasion of their first birthday. Turning to the tragic events in the United States, he said that terrorism was a global menace and could only be fought through effective international cooperation. India, he said, had faced the brunt of terrorist attacks in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir over the last two decades, claiming almost 53000 lives during this period. He said that the new anti-Terrorism law in UK was a step in the right direction and also drew attention to the International Convention on Terrorism sponsored by India in the United Nations. High Commissioner concluded his remarks by  speaking about the upbeat state of relations between India and the United Kingdom and the multi-faceted progress in bilateral ties in recent years and reiterated the invitation to the Lib-Dem Friends of India to organise a visit to India soon. 

Earlier in the evening, High Commissioner had a private meeting with Mr. Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Lib-Dem Party. The discussions focussed primarily on the situation arising in South Asia in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11.