E-Paper
‘Not true spirit of democracy’: Jagan Mohan pans Oppn for Parliament event boycott
Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said all political parties should attend the glorious event setting aside all political differences
Andhra Pradesh’s ruling YSR Congress party on Wednesday faulted opposition parties for the decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament complex in the national capital on Sunday.
In a post on Twitter, YSRCP president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi “for dedicating the grand, majestic and spacious Parliament building to the nation” and criticised the decision of 19 opposition parties to stay away from the event.
Also Read: NDA slams 19 Opposition parties’ boycott Parliament inauguration call
“Parliament, being the temple of democracy, reflects our nation’s soul and belongs to the people of our country and all the political parties. Boycotting such an auspicious event is not in the true spirit of democracy,” he said.
“Setting aside all political differences, I request that all political parties attend this glorious event. In the true spirit of democracy, my party will attend this historic event,” he said
According to a YSRCP leader familiar with the development, Jagan will participate in the NITI Aayog governing council meeting to be held in New Delhi on May 27. “There is every possibility that the chief minister will stay back in the national capital to attend the inauguration of the new Parliament complex the following day,” he said.
Otherwise, too, YSRCP general secretary and parliamentary party leader V Vijay Sai Reddy and his parliament colleagues would be attending the event, the YSRCP leader quoted above said.
The YSRCP chief’s statement came hours after 19 opposition parties announced that they will boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament on May 28 because PM Modi was going to preside over the ceremony instead of President Droupadi Murmu. The opposition parties described the prime minister’s decision to inaugurate the new Parliament as an “assault on democracy”. “When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from Parliament, we find no value in a new building. We announce our collective decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building,” the statement issued on Wednesday said.
