The announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the new parliament on May 28 has sparked significant political controversy in India. Opposition parties argue that the President, as the “highest Constitutional authority,” should be the one to inaugurate the parliament.
The choice of the date has particularly angered the Congress party. May 28 marks the birth anniversary of VD Savarkar, a prominent figure within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress party views the selection of this date as a “complete insult” to the country’s founding fathers.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri took to Twitter to clarify the roles of the President and the Prime Minister, stating that while the President is the Head of State, the Prime Minister is the Head of Government and leads the Parliament on behalf of the government. Puri emphasized that the President is not a member of either House, whereas the Prime Minister is.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia defended the selection of the date and called the Congress party “useless.” He praised Veer Savarkar as a national icon and dismissed those questioning the date as inconsequential.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of repeatedly disrespecting propriety by not inviting the President and the former President to the inauguration. He argued that the President represents the government, opposition, and every citizen equally and emphasized the symbolism of the President inaugurating the new Parliament building as a commitment to democratic values and constitutional propriety.
Opposition parties, including the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), criticized the government’s decision. CPI’s D Raja accused Prime Minister Modi of prioritizing self-image and cameras over decency and norms. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned why the Prime Minister, as the head of the executive, was taking on the role of inaugurating the new Parliament building instead of the Lok Sabha Speaker or Rajya Sabha Chair. Owaisi also questioned the funding of the project, suggesting that it was made with public money and not private funds from the Prime Minister’s “friends.”
The opposition parties are planning a mega meeting to discuss their stance regarding the inauguration. They aim to calibrate their response to the government’s decision.
The new Parliament building, with its capacity to comfortably seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber, has been designed to accommodate the needs of both Houses. In the event of a joint sitting of both Houses, the Lok Sabha chamber can accommodate up to 1,280 members.
