India a hot topic in the Commons

India a hot topic in the Commons

IANS

LONDON: Britain's House of Commons has never concerned itself with India as much as it has done this year. And it has never before concerned itself so positively.

There have been several debates on India and several resolutions, known as early day motions. Time and again British ministers have spoken in support of India more strongly than many within India have.

A strong resolution was passed on December 19 last year following the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament.

The resolution was led by Barry Gardiner, MP, who just finished his term as head of Labour Friends of India (LFIN), a parliamentary group that supports India.

Several key developments in India have found a voice in the House of Commons.

Andrew Dismore, MP, spoke strongly on April 16 this year on terrorists identified by India. An adjournment debate was held May 24 on India and Pakistan prior to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's visit to India.

Many more debates followed at the peak of the border tension between India and Pakistan. On June 25, Dari Taylor, MP, raised critical questions on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's assurances to clamp down on terrorism.

Barry Gardiner also raised a point of order during the Iraq debate on the September 24 on the terror attack on the Swaminarayan temple in Gujarat that killed 32 people. The attack was strongly condemned by members on all sides.

The early day motion on the attack on the Indian Parliament drew 138 signatures. Another on landmines along the India-Pakistan border drew 135 signatures.

An early day motion on violence in Gujarat in March drew 92 signatures. Sixty British MPs signed an early day motion to mourn the death of former Lok Sabha speaker G.M.C. Balyogi.

There were 38 signatures to a resolution on the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir in May, and another 88 on an early day motion on relations between India and Pakistan two days later.

Labour Friends of India organised a breakfast meeting with Ben Bradshaw, parliamentary under secretary of state at the Foreign Office. Many leaders of the Indian community attended.

A delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was hosted at the House of Commons in July.

A reception during the Labour Party annual conference drew strong support from India, in place of the firing of questions and allegations over Kashmir, which was more the rule earlier.

Senior leaders including Jack Straw, Margaret Beckett, Paul Boateng, Alun Michael, Sally Keeble, Bob Ainsworth, Malcolm Wickes, Tony McNulty and Lord Faulkner attended the reception.

Perhaps the most eloquent testimony of new Labour relations with India is the silence over talk earlier of hostility between Labour and India. A strong anti-India resolution at the Labour conference in 1995 is not mentioned any more.