Oppn steps up attack after PM unveils Parl
21 OPPOSITION PARTIES SHUNNED THE INAUGURAL EVENT OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT BUILDING, WHILE 25 PARTIES JOINED THE EVENT
NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating the new Parliament building, and asserted that “democracy is not just about buildings but functions with the voice of the public”.
The Congress is among 21 parties that boycotted the grand opening of the new Parliament, arguing that President Droupadi Murmu should have presided over the inauguration, not PM Modi.
The Bharatiya Janata Partyled National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has labelled the boycott a “blatant affront to democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation”.
A total 25 parties, including the ruling BJP, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Janata Dal (Secular) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), attended the event on Sunday, while 21, including the Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, decided to keep away.
Hours after the inauguration, the Congress accused the BJP-led Centre of snatching “the right to inaugurate the new Parliament from the President ”.
“The right to inaugurate the new Parliament was snatched from the President. Women players were beaten up on the streets with dictatorial force... The three lies of BJP-RSS rulers now stand exposed before the country - Democracy, Nationalism and Save Daughter,” party president Mallikarjun Kharge tweeted in Hindi, referring to the police action against the wrestlers protesting outside the Jantar Mantar.
“Remember Modi ji, democracy is not just about buildings but functions with the voice of the public,” Kharge added.
Speaking to the media in Pune, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said he was “happy” that he was not a part of the inauguration.
“I saw the event in the morning. I am happy I didn’t go there. I am worried after seeing whatever happened there. Are we taking the country backwards? Was this event for limited people only?” he asked, referring to the various rituals performed at the inaugural ceremony.
He added that whatever happened at the ceremony is the exact reverse of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s concept of society.
“What is happening there is exactly the reverse of what Pt Nehru who had a concept to make a society based on modern science. It’s the government’s responsibility to invite President and Vice president. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla was present, but Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the head of Rajya Sabha, wasn’t there. Therefore the whole event looks like it was for a limited people ...” he said.
Taking to Twitter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the event is being presented as a “coronation” ceremony. “Parliament is the voice of the people! The Prime Minister is considering the inauguration of the Parliament House as a coronation,” he tweeted.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh also tweeted: “A self-glorifying authoritarian Prime Minister with utter disdain for Parliamentary procedures, who rarely attends Parliament or engages in it, inaugurates the New Parliament building in 2023. Fabrication of facts by Distorians and the drum-beating of the media hits new lows in 2023.”
Attacking the PM, TMC leader Derek O’Brien said: “Now that PM Modi is done with his ‘I Only Love Myself Day’, let us remind him of how he and his government have mocked and insulted Parliament in the last nine years.”
He said that the PM has answered “zero” questions in Parliament and the number of bills scrutinised by Parliamentary committees has come down from seven out of 10 bills earlier, to just one out of 10 bills now.
“The number of Ordinances promulgated by the Modi government has more than doubled compared to earlier. Eight sessions of Parliament have been adjourned before the scheduled date. It has been four years, but there is still no Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha,” the TMC leader said.