BJP and Congress spar over the inauguration of the new Parliament House

New Delhi: Ahead of the inauguration of the new Parliament building, the Congress on Monday accused the Center of flouting constitutional decorum and demanded that President Draupadi Murmu inaugurate instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a press conference, senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said that PM Modi should urge the President to inaugurate the building and he should be given respect as the head of the institution of Parliament.

Anand Sharma said, “Congress as the principal opposition party has expressed its concern and we strongly feel that constitutional decorum should be maintained and the Speaker of the Parliament should be requested to inaugurate the Hon’ble President.”

He said the Prime Minister had every right to be there and the Congress was only stating what was “constitutionally correct”. He said that keeping the President of India out of such a big decision is not constitutionally justified.

“We feel the Constitution is not being respected… It doesn’t send a better message that earlier a Dalit President was not invited and now a tribal woman is being kept away from the decision,” Sharma said. ”

Earlier, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former party president Rahul Gandhi had also said that the President should inaugurate the new Parliament building and not the Prime Minister.

In a series of tweets, Kharge said that the then President Ram Nath Kovind was not invited to the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament in December 2020 and claimed that President Murmu was not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building .

He alleged, “The Modi government has repeatedly flouted decorum. The office of the President of India has been reduced to symbolism under the BJP-RSS government.”

Noting that Parliament is the supreme legislative body while the President is the supreme constitutional authority, Kharge said she alone represents the government, the opposition and every citizen equally.

He tweeted, “She is the first citizen of India. The inauguration of the new Parliament House by her will be a symbol of the government’s commitment to democratic values ​​and constitutional dignity.”

President of India Smt. Draupadi Murmu is not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament House.

The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India, and the President of India is its supreme constitutional authority.

2/4 – Mallikarjun Kharge (@Kharge) May 22, 2023

The Modi government has repeatedly insulted decorum.

The office of the President of India has been reduced to symbolism under the BJP-RSS government.

4/4 – Mallikarjun Kharge (@Kharge) May 22, 2023

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the new Parliament House on May 28 at the invitation of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

BJP hit back at Congress

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, hit out at the opposition and said they do not shy away from playing “negative politics” even in this “glorious moment”.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “The opposition is playing cheap politics at a time when they should be together because Parliament is a symbol of Indian democracy. It does not belong to any political party.”

BJP’s chief spokesperson Anil Baluni said that whenever something good happens, Congress leaders resort to ‘petty politics’.

“When the nation is taking pride in the construction of the new Parliament House, Congress leaders have again stooped to a new low,” he said.

It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament House on December 10, 2020. The present Parliament House, which was completed in 1927 and is now 96 years old, was found to be inadequate for the present day requirements.

The new parliament can seat more than 1,100 MPs

The new Parliament House can comfortably accommodate 888 members in the Lok Sabha Chamber and 300 members in the Rajya Sabha Chamber. In the event of a joint sitting of both the houses, a total of 1,280 members can be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber.

The new building, constructed by Tata Projects Limited, will also have a grand Constitution Hall, a lounge for parliamentarians, a library, several committee rooms, dining areas and ample parking space to showcase India’s democratic heritage. The triangular-shaped four-storey building has a built-up area of ​​64,500 square metres.

The building has three main gates – Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar and Karma Dwar. It will have separate entrances for VIPs, MPs and visitors.