‘Soul Of Democracy Sucked Out’: Opposition Boycotts New Parliament Inauguration

The inauguration of India's new Parliament building, scheduled for May 28, has been boycotted by the opposition parties.

The opposition parties have denounced PM Narendra Modi’s decision to inaugurate the Parliament himself saying it “completely sidelines” President Draupadi Murmu, which is an insult to the highest office in India.

Nineteen opposition parties led by the Congress, on Wednesday, announced their decision to boycott the inauguration ceremony in a joint statement.

Some of the signatories include Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), Communist Party of India (CPI), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

“It undermines the spirit of inclusion which saw the nation celebrate its first woman Adivasi President," the joint statement read.

Responding to the opposition, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday accused the Congress of lacking "national spirit and sense of pride" in India's progress.

He said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had also inaugurated the Parliament Annex building on October 24, 1975, followed by successor Rajiv Gandhi who had laid the foundation of the parliament library on August 15, 1987.

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