Oppn set to keep away from new Parl launch

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 23

The larger Opposition is set to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament House complex by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28 in a massive offensive against the ruling BJP government.

Top Opposition sources confirmed to The Tribune that like-minded non-BJP parties led by the Congress held discussions through Tuesday on the boycott over PM Modi inaugurating the new Parliament. The Opposition has been demanding that President Droupadi Murmu do the honours.

A Congress-led Opposition statement on the boycott of the Sunday event is expected soon. Meanwhile, the ruling All India Trinamool Congress of West Bengal, CPI and AAP today formally announced their decision to skip the May 28 function. TMC parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien tweeted, “Parliament is not just a new building, it is an establishment with old traditions, values, precedents and rules. It is the foundation of the 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.”

D Raja, CPI general secretary, told The Tribune that the party had decided not to attend the inauguration.

“We want President Murmu to inaugurate the new Parliament complex,” Raja said.

The government for its part fielded Union Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to counter the Opposition.

“After uncharitable comments about Honourable President in the past by its leaders, Congress president now makes uncalled for and gratuitous comments on her election! Tragic that the Congress claiming to be a national party lacks any national spirit and sense of pride in India’s progress,” Puri said.

He was responding to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s Monday remarks that the office of the President had been reduced to tokenism during the BJP rule. “They should feel better if they remember October 24, 1975, the day when Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament annexe! Or August 15, 1987, when Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation of the Parliament library,” Puri said.

The Congress, meanwhile, cited Articles 60 and 111 of the Constitution to say that the President is the head of Parliament. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor flagged these constitutional provisions and said, “It was bizarre enough that the PM performed the ground-breaking ceremony and puja when construction began but totally incomprehensible (and arguably unconstitutional) for him and not the President to inaugurate the building.”

Misgivings over PM opening complex

• Cong cited Articles 60 & 111 to say that the President is the head of Parliament and must open new Parliament complex
• Party MP Shashi Tharoor said it’s incomprehensible for the PM, and not the President, to inaugurate the building

BJP counters opposition attack

• “Tragic that the Congress, claiming to be a national party, lacks national spirit and sense of pride in India’s progress,” said Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri

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