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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday lodged a strong protest with EU Parliament Vice President Nicola Beer for EU’s resolution on India’s internal matters. In July, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Manipur violence and denounced “in the strongest terms nationalistic rhetoric deployed by leading members of the BJP party”. Om Birla said every nation and Parliament is sovereign and internal issues of other countries should not be discussed by others. Birla invited Nicola Beer to witness the general elections scheduled next year.
“Birla underlined India’s sovereignty and protested against bringing a proposal in the European Parliament on India’s internal issues,” the Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a statement.
EU in its resolution called on all sides to “exercise restraint and for political leaders to cease inflammatory statements in order to re-establish trust and play an impartial role to mediate the tensions.”
“Calls on the national and state government to start mediation efforts with all stakeholders for a just settlement upholding the rights of all communities,” one of its resolutions said.
India rejected EU resolutions and said the issue was totally internal. The ministry of external affairs strongly reacted to the resolution and said such interference in India’s internal affairs is unacceptable and reflects a colonial mindset.
“Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. The European Parliament would be well advised to utilise its time more productively on its internal issues,” the ministry said.
(With agency inputs)
Poulomi Ghosh is a journalist with Hindustan Times, New Delhi.