Several opposition parties have announced to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building on 28 May.
New Delhi:
Responding to the Congress’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating a new Parliament building, the BJP on Wednesday asked what was the “right to be heard” when Sonia Gandhi inaugurated legislative buildings in Manipur and Tamil Nadu along with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ? Modi.
The BJP alleged that the opposition parties were making the issue out of their “immense hatred” for Modi.
BJP national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawalla reminded the opposition party, saying, “The hypocrisy of the Congress knows no bounds.”
Several opposition parties, including the Congress, have announced a boycott of the ceremony on 28 May, demanding that President Draupadi Murmu and PM Modi not inaugurate.
Accusing the government of “completely sidelining” President Murmu, 19 opposition parties said in a statement that the “soul of democracy has been sucked out” when they found no value in a new building.
Mr Poonawalla alleged that the Congress had no problem when the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the assembly building and complex in Manipur in 2011.
“It’s okay for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi to inaugurate the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly building complex,” he said on Twitter.
“Where was Sonia Gandhi at these inaugurations?” He asked.
Poonawalla said on Twitter that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had inaugurated the Central Hall in the Bihar Legislature.
“In these five cases were the President, governors insulted?” Describing the Congress as the ‘mother of hypocrisy’, he said.
Parties such as Shiromani Akali Dal, BJD and YSRC as well as BJP’s NDA allies have said they will participate in the event.
On opposition parties calling the inauguration of the new parliament building an insult to President Murmu, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia hit back and asked why they did not support him when he was nominated as a candidate for the presidential election.
He also asked, “When a woman from the Scheduled Tribe community held the constitutional office of the President, why did the Congress not oust its leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for calling her the President?”
Mr Bhatia alleged that it has become the “character” of opposition parties to stand against “every positive action and historical moment” as “they have extreme hatred for Prime Minister Modi”, who he said is taking India forward. .
“Their aim is to violate the sanctity of Parliament, which the people of the country will not allow. More history will be written in the same temple of democracy (the new Parliament House) and the country will progress,” he said.
Mr. Bhatia said that it is unfortunate that instead of playing a positive role, the opposition is changing the “goalposts”.
“First they said it is Modi Mahal. It was not Modi Mahal. It was a unique initiative and a necessity…. Prime Minister Modi is a leader who fulfilled the dream of Congress and the then President Meira Kumar (a new Parliament House),” Mr Bhatia said.
Congress, TMC, SP and AAP are among the parties that have announced to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
Noting that this is an important occasion, the 19 parties said in a joint statement, “Despite our belief that the government is putting democracy at risk, and our condemnation of the autocratic manner in which the new parliament was created.” Despite the disapproval, we were ready to set aside our differences. And mark the occasion.” However, Prime Minister Modi’s decision to inaugurate the new Parliament House, “completely sidelining President Draupadi Murmu, is not only a grave affront, but a direct attack on our democracy, which demands a similar response, ” They said.
DMK, Janata Dal (United), CPI-M, CPI, NCP, SS (UBT), RJD, IUML, JMM, NC, KC (M), RSP, VCK, MDMK and RLD are other signatories to the joint statement.
Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that his party would also not attend the function.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that it was only “drama” as these parties had never supported the project.
He also said that another reason for the boycott could be that the inauguration would be a day “associated with Veer Savarkar”.
“The boycott is clear. They had earlier opposed the construction of the Parliament building,” Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.
The BJP leader claimed that the opposition had never thought that the construction of the new Parliament building would be completed so soon and it came as a ‘bouncer’ for them.
He said, “So, just to save their face, they are pretending to boycott. But the thing is, they never supported the project from day one… We never expected them to attend the function.” did.”
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi urged the parties to reconsider their decision to boycott the ceremony.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)