Meira Kumar cancels visits to South Africa, Namibia

In the wake of the death of the Delhi gangrape victim, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Friday cancelled the visit of an Indian parliamentary delegation led by her to South Africa and her own trip to Namibia to attend a Commonwealth Speakers' conference.

"Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has called off the proposed visit of an Indian parliamentary delegation to South Africa scheduled from January 6-10, 2013 on the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Parliament of South Africa," the Lok Sabha Secretariat said in a statement.

Kumar was to lead this delegation.

The statement said Kumar has also cancelled her visit to Namibia to attend the Standing Committee Meeting of the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference which was scheduled to be held from January 10-13.

"The Lok Sabha Speaker's decision comes in the wake of the recent developments following the sad demise of the brave young girl who was victim to a most heinous crime in a moving bus in South Delhi and the public outcry following the incident," her office said.

Kumar organised an all-religion prayer meet in Parliament on December 31 to mourn the girl's death.

The traditional New Year get-together of officers and staff of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, in which the Lok Sabha Speaker is the chief guest, was also cancelled on her directions.