A total of 19 opposition parties, along with Congress, on Wednesday, issued a joint statement to boycott the inauguration of the new parliament building on May 28.As per sources, the 19 parties who will boycott the inauguration are Congress, DMK, AAP, TMC, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party (SP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Kerala Congress (Mani), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), JD(U), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), National Conference (NC), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).Taking it to Twitter, the Congress party has issued a joint statement saying, “Completely sidelining President Draupadi Murmu ji on the occasion of the inauguration of the new Parliament House is not only an insult to His Majesty but also a direct attack on democracy. We see no value in a new building when the very spirit of democracy has been expelled from Parliament. We announce our collective decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building.”नए संसद भवन के उद्घाटन के अवसर पर राष्ट्रपति द्रौपदी मुर्मू जी को पूरी तरह से दरकिनार करना न केवल महामहिम का अपमान है बल्कि लोकतंत्र पर सीधा हमला भी है।जब लोकतंत्र की आत्मा को ही संसद से निष्कासित कर दिया गया है, तो हमें नई इमारत में कोई मूल्य नहीं दिखता। हम नए संसद भवन के… pic.twitter.com/TTJnNFC2rG— Congress (@INCIndia) May 24, 2023The joint statement by the opposition parties said, “Undemocratic acts are not new to the Prime Minister, who has relentlessly hollowed out the Parliament. Opposition Members of Parliament have been disqualified, suspended and muted when they raised the issues of the people of India.”The statement also says that members of parliament from the Treasury benches have interfered with the legislative process. Parliamentary Committees have essentially been rendered obsolete, and several contentious laws, like the three firm laws, have been approved with little to no discussion. The MPs, for whom it is ostensibly being built, or the Indian people as a whole were not consulted during the once-in-a-century construction of the new Parliament.“When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the Parliament, we find no value in a new building. We announce our collective decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building,” the joint statement said.Various party leaders around the nation, including the former speakers and Chairman of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, reportedly received invites to the inauguration of the new Parliament building on Tuesday.Meanwhile, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, has accused the Prime Minister Modi of “bypassing” the President.Taking it to Twitter, Yechury wrote, “Only when the President of India summons the Parliament can it meet. The President begins, annually, Parliamentary functioning by addressing the joint session. The first business Parliament transacts each year is the “Motion of Thanks” to the Presidents Address.”Only when the President of India summons the Parliament can it meet.The President begins, annually, Parliamentary functioning by addressing the joint session.The first business Parliament transacts each year is the “Motion of Thanks” to Presidents Address. pic.twitter.com/LFI6pEzRQe— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) May 23, 2023Many other opposition leaders have also shared their statements, boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament.On the occasion of the opening of the new Parliament building on May 28, President Draupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar are scheduled to issue congratulations messages.Notably, the current building of the Parliament was completed in 1927 and also going to be 100 years old. Considering the lack of space was being experienced in the building, the decision of the new Parliament Building was taken. The foundation stone for the new building was laid on December 10, 2020, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The building has been constructed in record time with quality.Opposition can act as per their wisdom: Amit ShahWhile addressing the press conference on Wednesday, the government welcomed all political parties to the inauguration of the new Parliament building on Saturday (28 May), and according to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, “They are allowed to act as per their wisdom.”The statement came from Union Minister Amit Shah soon after a joint statement by 19 major parties, including the Congress, declaring their intention to boycott the event. “We should not politicise this issue,” Shah remarked in response to a question from the media. “Let people think and react however they want.”Amit Shah also informed that PM Modi will also be honouring the 60,000 workers who were involved in the construction of the Grand Parliament building on Saturday (May 28).
