K.V. SEETHARAMAIAH
Much hue and cry is being raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the intended inauguration of the new Parliament building. The old Parliament building was inaugurated by Lord Irwin Viceroy of India at the invitation of Sir Bhupendra Nath, General’s Executive Council, in charge of the department of Industries and Labour on 18/01/1927. The new building was to be opened in August 2022 to mark the 75 years of independence. But due to legal challenge in the Supreme Court, the vista project was halted. The Supreme Court voted in favour of the project by 2:1. The Congress and several other opposition parties stayed away from the foundation-laying ceremony on 10/12/2020 by Modi. It was boycotted because it was done by Modi. Congress leader Anand Sharma cited the example of the US, the UK and France where they are continuing to function in the same centuries-old building. India is not under obligation to follow any other country. Changes or no changes are dictated by the country’s needs and requirements. India is capable of setting example to other countries. Now Congress-led opposition parties want the President of India Draupadi Murmu to inaugurate the building. Rahul Gandhi and AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge are more vocal against Modi inaugurating the building. If they want the President to inaugurate the building, it is not out of respect for the President but due to personal and political animosity at Modi. Another reason is that the inaugural function is taking place on the birth anniversary of Vir Savarkar. When Draupaid Murmu was nominated from NDA in the presidential election, the Congress and its allied parties opposed her candidature tooth and nail. Instead, the candidature of Yashwant Sinha was supported. Sinha broke away from BJP after he was denied a berth in the Modi cabinet. He did not toe the gentlemanly line of great stalwarts like Lal Krishna Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi who receded to political sunset gently. He revolted against BJP and seceded the party but to of no avail. Congress had filed complaint against Murmu to the Election Commission. Congress was left red-faced over Jarkhand Mukti Morcha’s support to Murmu. Congress leader Ajoy Kumar called the President ‘evil’. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary used the term “Rashtrapathni”. Another Congress Congress leader Udit Raj took swipe at Murmu and alleged that she was engaging in sycophancy with her comments. “No country should get such a President” was the utterance of Udit. National Commission for Women had summoned him for makind derogatory comments against Murmu. He was obliged to tender apology for insulting Murmu. Udit had called the Supreme Court ‘casteist’ for its landmark judgement on quota for Economically Weaker Sections. The new Parliament building is the brainchild of Modi. The building to be inaugurated on 28/05/2023 is likely to be boycotted by the principal opposition party Congress. History is created with Congress boycotting the foundation-laying ceremony and inauguration function. But can any Lok Sabha or Rajaya Sabha Member refuse to enter the House after the building is inaugurated? Parliament House is the temple of democracy. Every elected member must come to the House and participate in the democratic functioning of the government. It is farcical that Congress has been lecturing about the respect to be given to the President. The respect for the President is not undermined if the Prime Minister inaugurates the building. Whatever a President or Prime Minister does is on behalf of the government or the country only.
