In a recent development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hit back at the opposition, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, for their objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the new Parliament building. The BJP spokesperson, Gaurav Bhatia, dismissed the criticism as “crybaby” antics, suggesting that Mr. Gandhi has a habit of detracting attention from historic moments in the country.
The controversy arose when Rahul Gandhi stated that the President should have inaugurated the new Parliament building instead of the Prime Minister. Gaurav Bhatia, speaking to NDTV, criticized Mr. Gandhi’s viewpoint, stating that he considers such auspicious moments as bad omens due to his narrow-mindedness. Bhatia further emphasized that the new Parliament building is set to become a temple of democracy, and PM Modi’s role in its inauguration should be acknowledged positively.
Adding to the criticism, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi-led government of repeatedly disrespecting propriety by not inviting the President and former President to the inauguration ceremony. Kharge alleged that the Office of the President has been reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS Government, implying that the government’s actions prioritize electoral considerations over democratic values.
Gaurav Bhatia responded to the accusations by highlighting that it was the Congress party, including former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who initially expressed the need for a new Parliament building. Bhatia criticized the Congress as being ineffective, stating that they were unable to bring their dreams to fruition due to corruption and inefficiency. He further argued that when PM Modi fulfills their dreams in the interest of the country, the Congress party still finds reasons to complain.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge further alleged that the former President, Ram Nath Kovind, was not invited to the foundation laying ceremony of the new Parliament building, and the current President, Droupadi Murmu, is being excluded from the inauguration. Kharge stressed that the President is the highest Constitutional authority in India and represents the government, opposition, and citizens alike. He advocated for the President’s role in the inauguration to symbolize the government’s commitment to democratic values and constitutional propriety.
The opposition parties have also raised objections regarding the chosen date for the inauguration, which coincides with the birth anniversary of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar. The Congress has criticized the government, calling it a “complete insult” to the country’s founding fathers.
In response to the criticism surrounding the inauguration date, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia dismissed those questioning it as inconsequential. He emphasized that Veer Savarkar is a source of pride for every Indian and stated that those who question the date hold no significance and are not even worth the dust on Savarkar’s feet.
Opposition leaders, including RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha, CPI leader D Raja, and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, have also voiced their criticism, questioning why the Prime Minister is inaugurating the Parliament building instead of the Speaker or Chairman of the respective houses.
The new Parliament building, according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, boasts comfortable seating for 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 members in the Rajya Sabha chamber. In the case of a joint sitting of both Houses, the Lok Sabha chamber can accommodate a total of 1,280 members.
It is important to note that this controversy surrounding the inauguration of the new Parliament building reflects the ongoing political tensions between the ruling BJP and the opposition parties. As the inauguration date approaches, the
