Bhubaneswar: While several anti-NDA parties including Congress, AAP, TMC, CPI-M have jointly announced to boycott the inaugural ceremony of New Parliament Building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha has decided to take part in the mega event.
The regional party has issued an official statement in this regard. Party spokesperson and MP Sasmit Patra, through a release, stated “BJD shall be a part of this momentous occasion”.
Patra mentioned both Parliament and President are symbols of Indian democracy and draw their authority from the Constitution of India. Their authority and stature should always be safeguarded, he added.
“BJD believes that these Constitutional institutions should be above any issue which may affect their sanctity and honour. Such issues can always be debated later in the august house. Hence the BJD shall be a part of this momentous occasion,” the MP clarified on behalf of the party.
Notably, nineteen opposition parties, including the Congress and Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Partyannounced to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building in Delhi this weekend and criticised an ‘authoritarian prime minister and his government’.
The opposition parties said that despite differences with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party they had been open to ‘sinking our differences and marking this occasion’ but said ‘prime minister Narendra Modi’s decision to inaugurate the Parliament building by himself, completely sidelining president (Droupadi) Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy…”
Referring to the Constitution’s Article 79, the opposition parties said Murmu ‘is not only the Head of State but also an integral part of the Parliament’.
“She summons, prorogues, and addresses the Parliament. She must assent for an Act of Parliament to take effect. In short, the Parliament cannot function without the president. Yet, the prime minister has decided to inaugurate the new Parliament building without her,” the opposition parties declared in a joint statement.
