‘One man’s ego’ has denied President her constitutional privilege, says Congress

21 Opposition parties plan to boycott Parliament building inauguration on May 28

In a tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “It is one man’s ego and desire for self-promotion that has denied the first Adivasi woman President her Constitutional privilege to inaugurate the new Parliament building in New Delhi on May 28th.”   | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Stepping up the attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the inauguration of the new Parliament building, the Congress on Thursday alleged that “one man’s ego and desire for self-promotion” have denied the first tribal woman President her constitutional privilege.

Mr. Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the new building on May 28, and as many as 21 Opposition parties so far have announced their decision to skip the event, citing constitutional impropriety.

“Mr. Modi, Parliament is the temple of democracy established by the people. The office of the President is the first part of Parliament. The arrogance of your government has destroyed the parliamentary system,” tweeted party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

“140 crore Indians want to know what do you want to show by taking away the right of the President of India to inaugurate the Parliament House?” asked the Congress chief.

Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh tweeted, ”Yesterday, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the country’s largest judicial campus at the Jharkhand High Court complex in Ranchi. It is one man’s ego and desire for self-promotion that has denied the first Adivasi woman President her constitutional privilege to inaugurate the new Parliament building in New Delhi on May 28th. Ashoka the Great, Akbar the Great, Modi the Inaugurate.”

The party alleged that the rights of the Adivasis and Dalits were not secure under the Modi government despite members of these communities occupying the highest constitutional offices.

“We want to remind the nation that it was Prime Minister Modi who, during the foundation laying ceremony for the new Parliament building in December 2020, did not invite the then President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind,” said Shivajirao Moghe, who heads the All India Adivasi Congress. Stating that the decision to not invite President Murmu to the inauguration ceremony exposed the mentality of the present BJP regime, he added, “The constitutional rights of Adivasis and Dalits are not secure even after being in the highest constitutional position during the tenure of Shri Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister”.