New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday shared highlights of a Parliament event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed delegates, underlining India’s commitment to democracy and diversity. The remarks came during the 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference (CSPOC), held at the Central Hall of Sanvidhan Sadan.

Tharoor, who attended the conference, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Spending another day in Parliament with the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers. Prime Minister @narendramodi addressed the opening plenary session, underlining India’s commitment to democracy and diversity.” He also mentioned interacting with foreign delegates and shared a photograph alongside the Speakers of both the UK House of Commons and House of Lords, noting the historical backdrop of Pandit Nehru’s portrait in the Central Hall.

Modi’s Key Messages

During his address, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s democratic principles, emphasizing inclusive governance and last-mile delivery of public services. “In India, democracy means last-mile delivery. We work for all, without any discrimination, in the spirit of public welfare. This spirit also helped lift 25 crore people out of poverty,” Modi said, as reported by HT.

He elaborated on the strength of India’s democratic system, stating that it delivers because “the people’s aspirations and hopes are given priority. To remove all hurdles in their way, we have democratised everything from process to technology. This democratic spirit is in our blood, mind and in our culture.”

Modi also invited Commonwealth and Global South countries to benefit from India’s innovations and outlined India’s growing role on the international stage. “India continues to raise issues beneficial to the Global South in every international platform,” he added, pitching a roadmap for collaboration and mutual development.

Tharoor’s Engagement

Tharoor has previously praised Modi’s speeches on select occasions, drawing attention within his party for his positive remarks. In November, he lauded Modi’s address during the sixth Ramnath Goenka Lecture, noting the PM’s call for a “10-year national mission to restore pride in India’s heritage, languages, and knowledge systems,” referencing Modi’s critique of Macaulay’s 200-year legacy of “slave mentality.”

During the CSPOC event, Tharoor highlighted not only the content of Modi’s speech but also the opportunity to engage with global delegates, reflecting India’s role as a leading democracy with a diverse cultural and political landscape.

The 28th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference brought together parliamentary leaders from across the Commonwealth to deliberate on democratic governance, institutional reforms, and strengthening parliamentary practices. In his address, Modi underlined that India’s diversity and innovation-driven governance could serve as a model for other nations, particularly in the Global South.

Tharoor’s posts from the event, emphasizing democracy and diversity, reaffirmed the ongoing engagement of Indian lawmakers with international parliamentary forums and highlighted cross-party recognition of India’s democratic achievements on the global stage.