UAE’s Federal National Council to hear historic speech by Speaker of lower house of Indian Parliament

Abu Dhabi: The Speaker of the lower house of the Indian Parliament is scheduled to make a historic speech at the UAE’s Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi revealed on Monday.

The lower house of the Indian Parliament is known as Lok Sabha and Om Birla is the current Speaker or presiding officer and the highest authority of the lower house, also known as the House of the People.

Unanimously chosen by the sitting members of the Lok Sabha in June 2020, Birla is leading an Indian parliamentary delegation to the UAE from February 21 to 25 on the invitation of the FNC, according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

This is the first-ever visit under the bilateral exchange of parliamentary delegations from either side, the Embassy said.

“It is also the first time that an Indian Speaker will speak at the UAE FNC,” a spokesperson of the mission told Gulf News.

The Embassy said Birla will have the rare honour of addressing the FNC on Tuesday “in a friendship between the two countries going from strength to strength”.

“This is special and important in many ways. It is happening when India is celebrating its 75 years of independence and the UAE is celebrating its Golden Jubilee. Also, we just witnessed the landmark virtual summit between the leaders of the two nations,” the spokesperson said.

He was referring to the summit attended virtually by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries took place on February 18.

“There will be more exchanges between the Indian parliament and the UAE’s FNC which will help boost bilateral relations,” the spokesperson added.

On Monday, Birla met his counterpart Saqr Ghobash, the FNC Speaker, who hosted him and the accompanying delegation in the presence of the members of FNC’s Parliamentary Friendship Committee with Asian Countries, the Embassy said.

Earlier, Aysha Mohammed Saeed Al Mullah from the Asian Parliamentary Friendship Group had received Birla at Abu Dhabi International Airport on Sunday night and he was welcomed by Indian Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir, the Embassy said on Twitter.

On Monday morning, Birla was received by Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain region and executive director of the Martyrs’ Families Affair Office at the Abu Dhabi Crown Princes’ Court.

Birla was received at Wahat Al Karama, the Martyrs’ Memorial, where he paid tributes to those who sacrificed their lives for their country, the Embassy tweeted while sharing the images.

Paying “heartfelt tributes to the patriotic martyrs of the UAE whose glorious sacrifices were for their homeland,” Birla wrote in the visitors’ book at Wahat Al Karama: “May every visitor to this revered ground honour the sacred memory of all who chose to lay down their lives than to lower the proud flag. Their valour will continue to inspire future generations to fight for the cause of righteousness. I salute the service of all frontline workers who put their countrymen’s lives above their own in these unprecedented times. May this memorial remain a lasting reminder of the sacrifice of all who were slain but not silenced.”

The delegation includes Sushil Kumar Modi, Dr Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan, Dr MK Vishnu Prasad, P Ravindhranath, Shankar Lalwani and Dr Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, all Members of Parliament and Utpal Kumar Singh, secretary-general, Lok Sabha and Dr Ajay Kumar, Joint Secretary, as well as secretary to the delegation, according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.