80th All India Presiding Officers' Conference: PM Modi pays homage to 26/11 victims

New Delhi, Nov 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the concluding session of the 80th All India Presiding Officers Conference today via video conferencing. The two-day conference began yesterday at Kevadia in Gujarat.

''This day in 2008, terrorists from Pakistan attacked Mumbai. Many including foreign citizens, policemen died. I pay tributes to them. India can't forget those wounds. Today India is fighting terrorism with new policies. I also bow down to our security personnel fighting terror,'' PM said.

He also said,''Our Constitution has many features but a special feature is importance of duties. Gandhi ji was very keen on it. He saw close link b/w rights & duties. He felt that once we perform our duties, rights will automatically be safeguarded.''

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates the conference which is being attended by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, the state's Chief Minister Vijay Rupani among others. Speaker Om Birla is also the chairperson of the conference.

The All India Presiding Officers Conference began in 1921, and the Gujarat event marks its centenary year. The theme for this year's conference is Harmonious Coordination between Legislature, Executive and Judiciary - Key to a Vibrant Democracy.
AIR correspondent reports, All India Presiding Officers' Conference discussed Constitutional Amendments, review of Public Interest Litigation and other issues during the different sessions on the first day. The Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury spoke on Constitutional Amendments.

Several presiding officers of different state assemblies held detailed deliberation on reconsidering the Public Interest Litigation, interpretation of various laws and other issues.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated a Special Exhibition at Kevadia Tent City to mark the Constitution Day today. The exhibition depicts the high democratic values upheld in India through the centuries, going back to the Rig Veda period in an interesting way. It shows how Janpad, Mahajanpad, Gan and Mahagan had their roles defined in the administration of governance.

There are over 150 slide shows, posters and banners in this exhibition. The theme of the exhibition is "Constitution and Fundamental Duties". The special exhibition will remain open for the visitors at the Statue of Unity in coming days.