Sound and fury over Sansad inauguration

♦ Oppn wants President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate it

♦ AIMIM will attend if Speaker inaugurates new Parl complex

♦ BRS in two minds over attending inauguration

New Delhi/Hyderabad: Who should inaugurate India's new ‘Sansad’ building on May 28? This has sparked a new political debate. While the Union Government has announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate it, the 19 Opposition parties said that they would boycott the function.

The Congress party, which has been accusing the Centre of not inviting President Droupadi Murmu, added a caste angle to the controversy. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, "It looks like the Modi Govt has ensured the election of President of India from the Dalit and the Tribal communities only for electoral reasons.”

He said former President Kovind was not invited to the New Parliament foundation laying ceremony… Now, President Droupadi Murmu is not being invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament Building though she is the first citizen of India.

The AIMIM took a moderate stand. While opposing the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party president Asaduddin Owaisi said that they would be part of the celebration if the Speaker inaugurated the building. It may be mentioned here that the Speaker had invited the Prime Minister to inaugurate the building.

Owaisi said that according to the Constitution, the Lok Sabha Speaker is entitled to inaugurate the Parliament building, not the PM. “I still hope that the Prime Minister will show his love for the Constitution. As a true constitutionalist, if he is, then he should allow the Lok Sabha Speaker to inaugurate the new Parliament,” he said.

According to Owaisi as per Article 53 (1), executive power of the Union shall be vested with the President and the theory of separation of powers clearly says that the legislature is independent of executive and judiciary. Hence, he felt that the decision to boycott by the opposition was not a correct decision.

The BRS is now in two minds. Though officially it has not announced its stand, some leaders say that they may join the 19 parties in the boycott. But then they feel that this could give a chance to opposition on home turf to criticise the BRS government since they did not invite the Governor for inauguration of the new Secretariat saying where is it written in the Constitution.

While the controversy would continue and would become a talking point during ensuing polls, the common man feels what should matter more is how the members function from the new precincts.