Opposition to Unite Over Boycotting New Parliament Building Opening

As the newly built Parliament building in the national capital is set to be inaugurated by the end of this month, the opposition parties have decided to boycott the inauguration event of the building, reports emerged on Wednesday.

The new Parliament building constructed in New Delhi is all set to be inaugurated on May 28, however, several opposition parties have abstained from attending the event.

The parties who have decided to boycott the inaugural event are- Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the Left, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal-United (JDU), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction including many others.

It is established that the opposition parties have decided to boycott the event as the inauguration of the building will be done Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead of President of India Droupadi Murmu.

This has drawn flak from several parties criticizing the prime minister. The like-minded opposition parties also gave a joint statement to boycott the event.

AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha said, “President is the Constitutional Head of India. It is bizarre to NOT let President lay the foundation stone or inaugurate the new Parliament. Disrespect for Head of the Union is disrespect for our Constitution. Therefore, AAP will boycott the inauguration ceremony in protest.”

President is the Constitutional Head of India.

It is bizarre to NOT let President lay the foundation stone or inaugurate the new Parliament.

Disrespect for Head of the Union is disrespect for our Constitution.

Therefore, AAP will boycott the inauguration ceremony in protest.

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) May 23, 2023

TMC leader Derek O’Brien said, “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. PM Modi doesn’t get that. For him, Sunday’s inauguration of the new building is all about I, ME, MYSELF. So count us out.”

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