Ahead of special session, RS Chairman hoists flag at new Parliament building; Kharge skips

VIDEO | Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar hoists national flag at Gaj Dwar in new Parliament building in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/2Z6cqP2x1u

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 17, 2023

The special session of the Parliament will take place from September 18 to 22. The flag-hoisting event marks the occasion of Vishwakarma Puja. September 17 also happens to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

In a letter to Rajya Sabha General Secretary Pramod Chandra Mody, Kharge noted that he had received the invite “quite late”. “Since the programmes (CWC meeting) had been fixed much in advance, I am presently in Hyderabad to hold the meetings. As I will return to Delhi late night on 17 September 2023, it will not be feasible for me to attend the function scheduled for tomorrow morning,” he added.

Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge writes to Rajya Sabha General Secy Pramod Chandra Mody.

“Meetings of newly constituted Congress Working Committee have been scheduled for 16th and 17th September in Hyderabad and will not feasible to attend flag hoisting function at New… pic.twitter.com/85E3HgNwZD

— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2023

“With a sense of disappointment”, Kharge added that he had received an invite for the flag-hoisting event “only on 15 September 2023 quite late in the evening”.

The special session will start off in the old Parliament premises and move on to the new building, which was inaugurated by Modi on May 28. This will make it the first session to be held in the New Parliament.

(With PTI inputs)