Opposition parties set to boycott inauguration of new Parliament building

Amid demands from the Opposition that the president and not the Prime Minister should inaugurate the new Parliament building, the leaders of several political parties have decided to boycott the ceremony on May 28.

The Congress, The Trinamool Congress (TMC), Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) will skip the inauguration. Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Prof Manoj K Jha has also indicated that the party is most likely going to boycott the inauguration.

Sources said the leaders of like-minded Opposition parties deliberated on the issue and a joint statement by all the floor leaders will be issued soon, announcing a united boycott of the event.

This comes after the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP government stating that the government ensured the election of the President from the Dalit and tribal communities only for electoral reasons.

It looks like the Modi Govt has ensured election of President of India from the Dalit and the Tribal communities only for electoral reasons.

While Former President, Shri Kovind was not invited for the New Parliament foundation laying ceremony…

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— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 22, 2023

Congress sources have confirmed to the National Herald that they will be boycotting the inauguration. They added that they will be releasing a joint statement with the other opposition parties confirming the boycott.

“The secular Opposition parties are taking a stand jointly of not attending the function because according to the Constitution it is the President of India, who as the head of Parliament, should be inaugurating the new building,” asserted Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary.

“Parliament is not just a new building; it is an establishment with old traditions, values, precedents and rules — it is the foundation of Indian democracy. Prime Minister Modi doesn’t get that. For him, Sunday’s inauguration of the new building is all about I, ME, MYSELF. So count us out,” TMC’s leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien wrote on Twitter.

CPI general secretary D Raja told the National Herald his party will not attend the ceremony. CPI MP Binoy Viswam pointed out that all parties who cherish the values of parliamentary democracy and secularism would keep away from what he termed “majoritarian adventurism”.

How can we associate with such an endeavour that sidelines the @rashtrapatibhvn of India and link itself with the memory of Savarkar ? Those who cherish the values of @parliamentary democracy and secularism can only keep away from this majoritarian adventurism.

— Binoy Viswam (@BinoyViswam1) May 23, 2023

Source: NH