NEW DELHI: The bipartisan Parliamentary Friendship Groups of MPs recently announced by Lok Sabha received a hearty endorsement from PM Narendra Modi in his address to Israel’s Knesset, as he dwelt on the role it can play in strengthening ties at the level of legislatures between the two countries.Modi called for greater parliamentary interaction between the two democracies, making use of the parliamentary group headed by BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab which has been tasked with engaging with lawmakers from Israel.The idea of constituting such committees, 64 of which were announced by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday, was seeded during Modi’s interaction with the MPs from multi-party delegations that were formed to convey India’s stand to the world after Operation Sindoor, as there was realisation at the highest levels in govt of the role they had played in projecting a bipartisan stand on the issue of national interest.Modi had then spoken about institutionalising the bipartisan platform, which finally culminated in 64 such groups being set up to foster ties with 61 countries and three blocs, including EU Parliament and Nordic nations.If the exercise, which is conventionally conducted with inputs from govt, reflected Parliament’s keenness to deepen exchanges with legislatures across the world to complement traditional diplomacy, its decidedly bipartisan composition has conveyed an attempt to build inter-party camaraderie amid rising acrimony between the ruling BJP-led NDA and opposition parties.The groups include the eight MPs, seven from Congress and one from CPM, who were suspended during the Budget session from Lok Sabha for their “unruly” protest.Birla himself is facing an Opposition notice for his removal from office, which is expected to be taken up on Mar 9 when Parliament reconvenes after a recess.Governing National Democratic Alliance MPs from the two Houses head 37 of these groups while others chair 27, including 10 from Congress and three each from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, three key opposition parties.
