Bhopal: 'Still have time, President Murmu must inaugurate new Parliament building', says Digvijaya Singh

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Ahead of the Parliament building's inauguration, Veteran Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Friday said that the new building should be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu.

Digvijay's remarks came in the backdrop of the ongoing row over the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled for May 28.

Congress and other opposition parties slammed the Centre after it announced the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition parties stressed that President Murmu should inaugurate the new Parliament building.

Speaking on the row over President not being called for inaugurating the new Parliament, he said, "This is an affront to the post of President. We still have time, inauguration must be done by the President." PM Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will dedicate to the nation the new Parliament building on May 28.' On May 24, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to inaugurate the Parliament building without President Droupadi Murmu, saying it is an "insult to the country's highest constitutional post".

In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi said, "Not getting the President to inaugurate the Parliament nor invite her to the ceremony is an insult to the country's highest constitutional post. Parliament is not made of bricks of ego but of constitutional values." At least 21 opposition parties have decided to boycott the PM's decision to preside over the inauguration ceremony instead of President Droupadi Murmu.

Meanwhile, amid the boycott call by the opposition, the Centre has received a confirmed list of 25 political parties, including some which are not a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), that will participate in the inauguration ceremony.

Apart from the BJP, several parties in the NDA including AIADMK, Apna Dal, the Republican Party of India, the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, NPP, and NPF have confirmed their attendance for the function on Sunday.

Several neutral parties, including Biju Janata Dal, TDP, and YSRCP will be present for the inauguration.

Amongst the opposition parties, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samajwadi Party and JDS will attend the function on Sunday.