Modi Has Showed Respect To All Prime Ministers, Has Shown ‘Big Heart’ And Attended Parliament Building Inauguration: BJP To Opposition

The BJP alleged on Thursday that opposition parties decided to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration of the new parliament building just because it was built on his initiative.

BJP Senior Leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the new building is a symbol of India’s pride and called on opposition parties to attend the “historic day” of its inauguration on 28 of May showing a “big heart”.

“We all respect the President, I don’t want to drag the President’s position into any controversy today by remembering what Congress said about her. But the Prime Minister of India is also an important part of Parliament. The prime minister also has constitutional responsibility,” she told reporters.

Prasad urged opposition leaders not to use the boycott of the event as a platform to build opposition unity, saying they will have more opportunities to do so.

“The Mughals built Lal Qila, Jama Masjid and Humayun’s Tomb. Qutub-ud-din Aibak built Qutub Minar, they claim. The British built North Block, South Block, President House, which was called Viceroy House, and a Sansad Bhavan,” Prasad said, asking “What do we build in 75 years of Independence? “After 75 years of independence, why shouldn’t India have a parliament built by Indians?” he added.

Prasad said the new Parliament building is an “exemplary model” of India’s Vaastu Kala (architecture) and has been built in accordance with Indian ‘sanskar’.

“I would tell the leaders of Congress and other opposition leaders to come and attend the program. Sansad (Parliament) is the crown of the country’s democracy,” she said.

“Their leader, who was the first Prime Minister of India, was also associated with the tradition of (handing over) the Sengol… I ask my friends in Congress to come and witness this history, historical heritage,” he added.

Prasad alleged that the opposition leaders have decided to boycott the inauguration of the new parliament building as it was built at the initiative of Prime Minister Modi.

“This is the problem,” he said, adding that opposition parties had boycotted the event organized to lay the groundwork for the new building.

“Have you been to see the unity statue of Sardar Patel, where thousands of tourists visit every week? Have you visited the world-class war memorial built near the India Gate to do pranam (offer tribute) to those awarded the Paramveer Chakra?” he asked, adding: “No, they haven’t because it was built for Modi ji.” Prasad called on opposition parties to show “big hearts and attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building, saying that PM Modi has shown respect for all his predecessors on various occasions.”

“I want to tell this country that there have only been four prime ministers in the country who were elected by the people: first Nehru ji, second Indira Gandhi, third Atal Bihari Vajpayee and fourth Narendra Modi,” he said.

“Rest of the prime ministers, I don’t want to disrespect them, but the people didn’t elect them. Morarji Desai was also not elected by the people as they had voted for Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan. In the time of Rajiv Gandhi, there was a wave of sympathy for the assassination of Indira Gandhi. We need not tell how PV Narasimha Rao, Deve Gowda, IK Gujral, Chandrashekhar, VP Singh became prime minister,” he added.

Nineteen opposition parties, including Congress, Left, TMC, SP and AAP, have jointly announced the boycott, saying they see no value in a new building when the “soul of democracy has been sucked out”. Separately, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said if Lok Sabha Chairman Om Birla does not inaugurate the new Parliament building, his party will not attend the event.

On the other hand, 25 parties have said they will participate in the inauguration and these include seven non-NDA parties.

Uttar Pradesh Prime Minister Yogi Adityanath also criticized opposition parties for boycotting the opening of the new Parliament building, saying they were making a “disgusting” attempt to create controversy.

“I think the country will not accept those things. The new Parliament building was made with a visionary approach in mind…the current need and the vision for the next 100 years,” Yogi added.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel condemned the opposition parties, saying it was an insult to the great nation and an attack on the country’s democratic values.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the current structure of Parliament was actually a “council room” and that for the first time the country will have its own complete parliament building.

“When the late Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated Parliament annex buildings or participated in the opening ceremony of the Parliament Library, it was against democratic norms,” he asked.