NEW DELHI: In an apparent message to the Opposition parties boycotting the new Parliament building inauguration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon his return from a three-nation tour on Thursday, lauded the show of “democratic soul and strength” at the event organised by the Indian diaspora to welcome him in Sydney.
Addressing people who had gathered to welcome him outside the Palam airport, the PM alluded to the presence of not only Australian PM Anthony Albanese along with ruling party functionaries but also a former PM and the country’s Opposition members to highlight the role of the Opposition in a democracy.
“This was the atmosphere of democracy that everyone joined in the Indian community’s programme,” Modi said, lauding this show of “democratic soul and strength”.
Meanwhile, the BJP and the Congress, continued to engage in a war of words over the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28. While the BJP on Thursday alleged that the Congress displayed disregard for Hindu traditions by calling the sacred "sengol" a "golden stick gifted" to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and tucking it away in a museum, the Congress stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying "one man's ego and desire for self-promotion" have denied the first tribal woman President her constitutional privilege to inaugurate the new complex. The AAP also rallied behind the Congress in targeting Modi.
Targeting the PM over the inauguration of the new Parliament building, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the "arrogance" of the Modi government has "destroyed" the parliamentary system."
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," Kharge said in a tweet in Hindi.
The Congress chief said: "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."
Taking on the Congress, the BJP alleged that the party displayed disregard for Hindu traditions by calling the sacred sengol a "golden stick", BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said the PM will install the sengol in the Lok Sabha, prominently close to the Speaker's podium, and only now is the sacred sceptre being given its rightful place.
The PM asserted that he used every moment during his six-day tour across three countries for India’s good.
Everyone accorded respect to the Indian representative, and it was not about Modi’s glory but about India’s strength, he added.
At least 21 political parties, including Congress, TMC, JD(U), DMK, AAP, have decided to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28 over sidelining of President Droupadi Murmu, terming it as a “direct assault on our democracy”.
Non-NDA parties, including YSRCP, BJD, TDP, BSP, JD(S) and Akali Dal, will be attending the ceremony. The PM, though, made no direct mention of this in his speech.
He said he speaks confidently of India and its people’s strengths abroad and the world listens because people here elected a majority government.
World leaders know that what he says is the voice of the 140 crore people of India, the Prime Minister added. World leaders know that what he says is the voice of the 140 crore people of India, the Prime Minister added.
The PM said India faces the challenges of strengthening its roots while also working its way to a new high as the world expects it to.
“Challenges are big. But it is in my nature to challenge the challenges,” Modi said while exuding confidence in front of a cheering crowd that his government will succeed in meeting these expectations in time.
The PM also mentioned how global expectations from the country have been rising and the world now wants to know what India is thinking.
Modi spoke about the respect accorded by the people of Pacific island countries during the visit, and said they were thankful to India for the Covid-19 vaccines sent to them during the pandemic.
