'Would Be Better If Everyone Was Involved': Pawar On New Parliament Inauguration

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on Sunday amid a boycott by 21 opposition parties.

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that he was 'not happy' to see the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that it would 'have been better' if everyone was involved. About 20 opposition parties, including the NCP, boycotted the new Parliament building inauguration event on Sunday, alleging that President Droupadi Murmu has been denied the right to inaugurate the building.

"I saw the event in the morning. I am happy I didn't go there," Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune and said that various religious rituals performed at the inauguration of the new Parliament building by PM Modi show that the country was being 'taken backward'.  The grand inauguration this morning included a havan, a multi-faith prayer ceremony and the installation of the Sengol in a special enclosure in the Lok Sabha chamber.

The former Union Minister said the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had envisaged a society having a scientific temperament, but the rituals conducted during the opening of the new Parliament complex were contrary to his vision. 

"One cannot compromise on science. Nehru was persistent about his wish to form a society with a scientific temperament. But what is happening today at the inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building is exactly the opposite of what Nehru had envisaged," he said. 

Pawar also expressed his disappointment over the absence of the president and the vice president at the inauguration ceremony.

"The president is the head of the state, while the vice president is the head of the Rajya Sabha. They should have been invited to this event," he said.

Sharad Pawar also claimed that nothing was discussed about this new building with them.

"It would have been better if everyone was involved," he said.

PM Modi treated new Parliament inauguration like his 'coronation': Opposition

The Opposition on Sunday accused Prime Minister Modi of treating the inauguration of the new Parliament building like his 'coronation', and said democracy is run by people, not by buildings.

"Parliament is the voice of the people! The prime minister is treating the inauguration of the Parliament House as (a) coronation," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi soon after PM Modi inaugurated the building.

Democracy does not run from the buildings but through the voices of the people, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged the inauguration ceremony was held amid 'loud propaganda' with the declaration of a 'new India'.

"This declaration of a 'New India' comes in the absence of the President of India, Vice President of India and opposition parties! India = Nation and Citizen; New India = Raja and Praja," he said.