New Parliament inauguration: Odisha’s BJD to be a part of the event amid Opposition boycott

Bhubaneswar: With 19 Opposition parties boycotting the much-debated inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building in New Delhi, Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today announced that the party will take part in the event come Sunday.

“The President of India is the Head of the Indian State. The Parliament represents the 1.4 billion people of India. Both institutions are symbols of Indian democracy and draw their authority from the Constitution of India. Their authority and stature should always be safeguarded,” BJD national spokesperson Sasmit Patra said in a press release.

“BJD believes that these Constitutional institutions should be above any issue which may affect their sanctity and honour. Such issues can always be debated later in the August house. Hence the BJD shall be a part of this momentous occasion,” Patra said.

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It is pertinent to mention, earlier in the day in a joint statement, the 19 Opposition parties said, “The inauguration of a new Parliament building is a momentous occasion. Despite our belief that the government is threatening democracy, and our disapproval of the autocratic manner in which the new Parliament was built, we were open to sinking our differences and marking this occasion. However, Prime Minister Modi’s decision to inaugurate the new Parliament building by himself, completely sidelining President Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy which demands a commensurate response.”

Indian National Congress (INC), Trinamool Congress (TMC), DMK, Janata Dal (United), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India (CPI), Muslim League, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), National Conference, Kerala Congress (M), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are among the signatories of the statement, who will be staying away from attending the event.

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