‘President’s office reduced to tokenism’: Oppn mulls boycott of new Parliament building inauguration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects the construction work of the new Parliament building, in New Delhi.

The Congress and several other Opposition parties stayed away from the foundation-laying ceremony of the new Parliament building in December 2020, questioning its timing since the farmers were protesting at the time, the pandemic was raging, and the country was experiencing economic distress induced by the lockdown.

Apart from laying the foundation stone, the Prime Minister had unveiled the national emblem on top of the new building in July last year. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had met Prime Minister Modi last week and invited him to inaugurate the new Parliament building.

Kharge alleged “the Modi  Government has repeatedly disrespected propriety” and argued “the Office of the President of India is reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS Government.”

“It looks like the Modi Government has ensured the 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, the President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu is not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building,” he said.

The Parliament of India, he said, is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India, and the President of India is its highest Constitutional authority.

“She alone represents the government, opposition, and every citizen alike. She is the First Citizen of India…Inauguration of the new Parliament building by her will symbolise Government’s commitment to Democratic values and Constitutional propriety,” he added.

The BJP hit back. “Whenever a good thing happens, Congress leaders resort to their cheap level of politics… The construction of the new Parliament building is a glorious moment and every India is feeling proud about it. However, the Congress, as usual, is playing spoilsport. They have been rejected by the people of the country and such comments are a reflection of their frustration,” said BJP’s chief spokesperson Anil Baluni.

The BJP leader said the Congress party’s attack reflected its negative and defeatist mentality when the new structure stands as the “epitome of Indian democracy” and a reflection of the “spirit of Make in India”.

The Aam Aadmi Party accused the Government of insulting President Murmu and the tribal and backward communities. Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the decision was also a reflection of the BJP’s “anti-tribal, anti-Dalit and anti-backward mindset”.

“You make a tribal woman the President of India for political gains but do not invite her to inaugurate the new Parliament building…Could there be a bigger insult to a president than this?” he asked.

Trinamool Congress’s leader in Rajya Sabha 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. Prime Minister Modi doesn’t get that.”

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury pointed out that the President is the head of Parliament according to India’s Constitutional scheme.

“He or she is the one who summons Parliament and addresses the Parliament’s first session every year. According to the Constitution, it is the President who is the head. The same thing had happened in 2020 when the foundation stone was laid for the new building. The President was not invited. The Prime Minister also unveiled the national emblem…this government is virtually converting India into a presidential form,” he said.

Samajwadi Party’s Ghanshyam Tiwari said his party was of the view that the “new Parliament building belongs to the entire nation and the President as the head of the Parliament should have inaugurated it…it would have also set the tone for an India where women have greater say in leadership in politics.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said: “It is unfortunate that the Prime Minister continues to undermine the position of the President, from the foundation-laying ceremony to its inauguration. The President, as the head of the legislature, is the custodian of the Parliament. It is highly problematic that the Prime Minister starts to consider himself above authority for self-glorification.”