Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed on Sunday that the President should inaugurate the new Parliament building, not the Prime Minister just a few days ahead the inauguration of the building is all set to be held on 28 May.
Notably, PM Modi will dedicate the new Parliament building, a four-story triangular structure with a built-up area of 64,500 square meters. The Congress has dubbed PM Modi’s new Parliament building a “vanity project.”
नए संसद भवन का उद्घाटन राष्ट्रपति जी को ही करना चाहिए, प्रधानमंत्री को नहीं!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 21, 2023
Several opposition leaders objected to PM Modi inaugurating the new Parliament building, citing the fact that PM Modi is the head of the government, not the legislature. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned why the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha would not inaugurate it.
Owaisi took to Twitter and penned “Why should PM inaugurate Parliament? He is head of the executive, not legislature. We have separation of powers & Hon’ble @loksabhaspeaker & RS Chair could have inaugurated. It’s made with public money, why is PM behaving like his “friends” have sponsored it from their private funds?” tweeted.
Why should PM inaugurate Parliament? He is head of the executive, not legislature. We have separation of powers & Hon’ble @loksabhaspeaker & RS Chair could have inaugurated. It’s made with public money, why is PM behaving like his “friends” have sponsored it from their private… https://t.co/XmnGfYFh6u
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 19, 2023
The 28th of May marks the birth anniversary of Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar. According to the Lok Sabha secretariat, Speaker Om Birla met with PM Modi this week and invited him to the new building’s inauguration.
“26 November 2023- Indian Constitution which gifted parliamentary democracy to the nation shall step into 75th year which would’ve been befitting for inauguration of new Sansad Bhawan. But it shall be done on 28 May, birthday of Savarkar- How much relevant?” Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said.
To which Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in reply “A complete insult to all our Founding Fathers and Mothers. A total rejection of Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Bose, et al. A blatant repudiation of Dr. Ambedkar.”