New Delhi – Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur on Friday said that democracy is the soul of India and its constitutional roots are strong, forming the base of the country’s steady progress. He was speaking at the 28th Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers (CSPOC) 2026, being held in the Central Hall of Parliament House.
Thakur said that in the last 11 years of the Modi government, India has made progress on all development parameters and advanced public welfare through constitutional means. He said India, despite being the world’s largest democracy, is often questioned by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for political reasons. Thakur alleged that even independent institutions like the Election Commission of India, whose work is appreciated globally, are targeted for political gain.
He also criticised the absence of Leaders of the Opposition from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha at the conference, calling it a reflection of an anti-democratic mindset. Thakur said that over the past decade, India has emerged as a hub for major global events, and hosting CSPOC 2026 is a matter of pride for the country.
Highlighting the scale of the event, he said the conference is witnessing the largest participation in CSPOC’s history, with 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth countries, along with representatives from four semi-autonomous parliaments.
Thakur said the conference will deliberate on key parliamentary issues, including the evolving role of Speakers and Presiding Officers, the use of technology in legislative work and ways to enhance citizen participation in democratic processes. He added that India continues to strongly raise the concerns of the Global South on international platforms and had placed these issues at the centre of the global agenda during its G20 presidency.
