Rahul joins Opposition chorus against PM inaugurating new Parliament building

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday joined the Opposition chorus against Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the new Parliament building and demanded that President Droupadi Murmu be invited to open it.

Rahul tweeted, "the President, and not the Prime Minister, should inaugurate the new Parliament building." The new Parliament building will be inaugurated by Modi on May 28, the birth anniversary of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar.

Soon after the announcement came on May 18, several Opposition leaders pointed out that the President should have inaugurated the new building and not the Prime Minister.

According to Article 79 of the Constitution, Parliament consists of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

Also Read: PM Modi to inaugurate new Parliament building on Savarkar's birth anniversary

Opposition leaders argued that the President is part of Parliament and during the unveiling of its new building, the president is being ignored.

The president, then Ram Nath Kovind, was not invited for the foundation-stone laying ceremony on 10 December, 2020 while Modi did the honours. Similarly on 11 July, 2022 when the national emblem was unveiled on top of the under construction building, Kovind was not present.

Rajya Sabha was represented by Deputy Chairman Harivansh on both occasions while then Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who was also Vice President, did not attend due to protocol issues.

Senior RJD MP Manoj K Jha said, "Shouldn't the honourable President inaugurate the new 'Sansad Bhavan'? I leave it at that...Jai Hind". He also tweeted, "Gandhi and Savarkar cannot be in one frame just as Ambedkar and Golwalkar cannot be in one frame. Make artificial efforts but 'Gandhi and Ambedkar' will break your frame and come out and put a mirror in front of your politics. Jai Hind."

CPI General Secretary D Raja said, "The Prime Minister leads the executive organ of the state and Parliament is the legislative organ. It would have been appropriate for Droupadi Murmu as Head of the State to inaugurate the new Parliament. Obsession with self-image and cameras trumps decency and norms when it comes to Modi-ji."

Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal tweeted, "PM Modi, in his megalomania, has once again violated constitutional values and disrespected the Hon'ble President of India. The President is the custodian of Parliament and the appropriate authority to inaugurate the new Parliament building. However, as usual, the PM has shown his hubris and sidelined her to hog the limelight."

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh added, "the sole architect, designer and worker for the new Parliament building, which he will inaugurate on May 28th. The picture tells it all – a personal vanity project."