19 Opposition parties to boycott new Parliament inauguration by PM on May 28

The ongoing showdown over the inauguration of the new Parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now seen 19 Opposition parties collectively deciding to boycott grand ceremony on May 28.

The ongoing showdown over the inauguration of the new Parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now seen 19 Opposition parties collectively deciding to boycott the grand ceremony on May 28.

The Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Janata Dal (United), AAP, CPI-M, CPI, SP, NCP, SS (UBT), RJD, IUML, JMM, NC, KC (M), RSP, VCK, MDMK, RLD are the signatories of the joint statement.

PM Modi will inaugurate the new Parliament building on May 28 following an invitation by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

The opposition parties noted that the President is not only the Head of State in India, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses Parliament. 

"In short, Parliament cannot function without the president. Yet, the prime minister has decided to inaugurate the new Parliament building without her. This undignified act insults the high office of the President and violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution. It undermines the spirit of inclusion which saw the nation celebrate its first woman Adivasi President," the parties said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Kumar Jha took to Twitter to state his party's position. He said, "The Rashtriya Janata Dal, along with most of the Opposition parties, have decided not to be a part of the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament House keeping in mind the honour of the President of India and the disregard of the Constitutional order and tradition by the Prime Minister."

Similarly, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, too, has announced that its MPs will skip the inauguration ceremony. Earlier today, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) informed that it will not attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building. On Tuesday, the Trinamool Congress, the Communist Party of India and the Aam Aadmi Party announced they will skip the inauguration ceremony.

Opposition parties continue to demand that President Droupadi Murmu should inaugurate the new building. 

TMC's leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien posted on Twitter, "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. For him, Sunday's inauguration of the new building is all about I, ME, MYSELF. So count us out."

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh tweeted, "Not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to the inauguration of the new Parliament building is a great insult to her. This is also an insult to the tribals. The Aam Aadmi party will boycott the inauguration function in protest of Modi ji not inviting the President."

The Communist Party of India-Marxist also accused Modi of 'bypassing' the President for not just laying the foundation stone for the new parliament building but also inaugurating it himself. 

To recall, the opposition parties had boycotted the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the building by Modi in December 2020, citing concerns about its timing amid farmer protests, the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic distress due to a lockdown.

The grand opening of the new building, it is learnt, will be marked by the chanting of hymns, a "havan" and a "puja". The rituals will start in the morning and the main programme is scheduled to be held in the afternoon.

Besides Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be present at the opening ceremony. The invitation card for the event states the ceremony will start at noon and requests the invitees to take their seats by 11.30 am.