PM Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will dedicate the new Parliament building to the nation on May 28. Reacting to the call by the Opposition, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) said that the move to boycott the inauguration of the Parliament building is not merely disrespectful but is a blatant affront to the democratic ethos and constitutional values of the country. The government termed the boycott “another feather in their cap of disregard for democratic processes.”
The 20 opposition parties that will boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament are: Congress, AIUDF, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, TMC, Janta Dal (United), Nationalist Congress Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), RJD, Indian Union Muslim League, National Conference, Communist Party of India, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress (Mani), Vidhuthalai Chirunthaigal Katchi, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and Marumalarchi Dra Munnetra Kazhagam.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashed out at the opposition parties on Thursday for objecting to the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled for May 28 and described their statements and actions as extremely sad, irresponsible, and ones that are going to weaken democracy. Attacking the opposition, CM Yogi said that May 28 is going to be recorded as a glorious moment in the history of independent India. “Under the chairmanship of the esteemed Prime Minister of the Nation, Narendra Modi, the new Parliament, a symbol of India’s democracy, will be dedicated to the country. It will be a proud moment for the entire country,” he said.
Kailash Vijayvargiya, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Madhya Pradesh, criticised the opposition parties for opposing the inauguration of the new Parliament building. According to Vijayvargiya, the boycott by Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, AAP, NCP, Shiv Sena, CPI (M), Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI, Indian Union Muslim League, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, National Conference, Kerala Congress (M), Revolutionary Socialist Party, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, MDMK, and Rashtriya Lok Dal is a mere political move to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government.
Former union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar on Thursday slammed the opposition parties for the decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called it “bankrupt politics.” The BJP leader said that the opposition must “rise above politics” and participate in the inauguration ceremony. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday that this showed the “double-faced nature” of the opposition parties. The BJP leader said that the former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi too inaugurated the Parliament and Parliament Building in the years 1975 and 1987, respectively.
Amid the opposition’s objection to the Prime Minister inaugurating the new Parliament building, Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam said on Wednesday that it is a ‘drama’. “It’s drama; we don’t want to be spectators to that drama,” the CPI MP said. Taking to Twitter, CM Reddy said, “Boycotting such an auspicious event is not in the true spirit of democracy. Setting aside all political differences, I request that all political parties attend this glorious event. In the true spirit of democracy, my party will attend this historic event.”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Thursday that in times to come, the nation will boycott Congress and its allies. “In the upcoming time, the nation will boycott Congress and its allies,” said Dhami. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday lashed out at the Congress for objecting to the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that with such actions, the opposition party will surely “fade into oblivion.” Addressing a press conference in Gujarat, the CM said, “The inauguration of the new Parliament by PM Modi is a proud moment for us, and we condemn the decision of 19 opposition parties to boycott the inaugural event. This decision is an attack on the democratic values of the country.”
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday said it was “unfair” that some opposition parties have decided to boycott the unveiling ceremony of the new Parliament building, stating that the government has the right to unveil it as they are the ones who have made it. “The boycott and linking it to the respect of a tribal woman (President Murmu) is completely unfair,” the BSP chief said. Mayawati has, however, said she will not attend the ceremony due to pre-scheduled engagements. Reacting to the row about the inauguration of the new Parliament building, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) from Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, said on Thursday that opposition parties are against the development.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said that it is not “constitutionally correct” to exclude the President, who is the ‘Head of the Parliament,” from the key events. The Congress party has been accusing the Centre, saying that the President has “not even been invited” to the inauguration event of the new Parliament House. “It is not constitutionally correct to take a major decision about the Parliament excluding the head of the Parliament, the President of India, from the decision-making from the foundation stone laying, now for the inauguration.”
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said on Wednesday that the required decorum was not being followed in the process of inaugurating the new Parliament building, adding that this is the reason for the boycott of the event by the opposition. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Thursday said President Droupadi Murmu should inaugurate the building as she is the constitutional head of the country. Elangovan said, “The President should inaugurate the Parliament building. She is the head of the Constitution. The Prime Minister is one of the members of Parliament. He is holding the post of PM. He was appointed by the President as the PM.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi accused the BJP of “constitutional immorality” and being “blinded by power”. “The President is the Head of the Legislature, which is above the Head of the Government, i.e., the PM of India. The new parliament’s inauguration should be done by the president, as the protocol demands. The BJP, blinded by power, has become a fountainhead of constitutional immorality,” she said in a tweet.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to inaugurate the Parliament building on May 28 and to not invite President Droupadi Murmu for the event. Stating that the government is “ignorant about the constitutional niceties,” Moitra said that the TMC will not be attending the May 28 “party.” Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said on Thursday that the boycott of the inauguration of the new parliament building by opposition parties is a response to the “boycott of parliamentary traditions by an authoritarian government.”
A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a direction that the new Parliament building be inaugurated by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on May 28.
The PIL said the Lok Sabha Secretariat violated the Constitution by not inviting the President for the inauguration. The statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on May 18 and invites issued by the Secretary-General, Lok Sabha, about the inauguration of the new Parliament building are in violation of the Indian Constitution, the PIL filed by advocate Jaya Sukin said.
