New Parliament inauguration row Highlights: 25 parties to attend event, 20 to boycott

New Parliament inauguration row Highlights: The row over launch of new Parliament by PM Modi continues with 20 Opposition parties set to boycott the event.

Follow today's live updates on New Parliament building inauguration here

New Parliament building inauguration row Highlights: A political row over the decision to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi preside over the inauguration of the new Parliament building instead of President Droupadi Murmu has erupted with 20 Opposition parties having decided to boycott the event, scheduled for Sunday. The row has sparked a debate on the role of the President and the Prime Minister in the constitutional framework.

On Thursday, a lawyer also petitioned the Supreme Court, seeking an invite for President Droupadi Murmu to the preside over the cermony. The top court is expected to hear the petition on Friday.

20 parties including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and others issued a joint statment Wednesday, describing PM Modi’s decision to inaugurate the new Parliament as an “assault on democracy”. While some parties including the Biju Janata Dal have accepted the invite hailing the event “in the true spirit of democracy” and a “momentous occasion”.

Follow all the updates here:

• May 25, 2023 09:50 PM IST

  Amid Parliament launch row, UP CM Yogi’s ‘highly irresponsible’ charge at Opposition

  Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath slammed the Opposition parties for clouding the “glorious” event with their “irresponsible” behaviour. Read here.

• May 25, 2023 09:33 PM IST

  Congress president Kharge attacks PM Modi on Parliament launch row

  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge attcked PM Modi Thursday and alleged that the "arrogance" of the Modi government has "destroyed" the parliamentary system. "Mr 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.

• May 25, 2023 09:01 PM IST

  Former PM HD Gowda says he will attend Parliament launch ceremony

  JD(S) supremo and former PM HD Deve Gowda said Thursday that he will attend the event. “I will be attending the inauguration of the new building of Parliament House. That magnificent building was built with the tax money of the people of the country. It belongs to the country. It is not BJP or RSS office," he said.

• May 25, 2023 08:39 PM IST

  25 parties expected to join new Parliament building inauguration

  As many as 25 parties are expected to attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday even as 20 Opposition parties have decided to boycott the event.

• May 25, 2023 08:20 PM IST

  ‘Because Modi made it…’: BJP's RS Prasad pans Congress over Parliament event boycott

  BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad recalled that the Congress did not attend the foundation-stone laying ceremony for the new Parliament building in December 2020. Read more.

• May 25, 2023 07:52 PM IST

  ‘PM Modi and LS Speaker should discuss on inviting President’: Ashok Gehlot's suggestion

  Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said Thursday that the ‘sudden’ announcement to inaugurate Parliament building was not made with dignity. He also said...read more.

• May 25, 2023 07:38 PM IST

  Why is new Parliament building triangular-shaped? All features explained

  The triangular shape of the new Parliament building is meant to ensure optimum space utilisation, as per the project’s website. Read about all its features.

• May 25, 2023 07:25 PM IST

  Which political parties will attend the new Parliament building inaugural ceremony

  The Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance which will attend the Sunday event of the launch of new Parliament building include Shivsena (Shinde), Apna Dal and Assam Gan Parishad, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, National People’s Party, Meghalaya Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Jan-Nayak Party, AJSU, RPI, Mizo National Front, Tamil Maanila Congress, AIADMK, IMKMK, ITFT (Tripura), Bodo People’s Party, Pattali Makkal Kacchi, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.

  The non-NDA parties to attend the event include Lok Janshakti Party (Paswan), BJD, BSP, TDP and YSRCP , Akali Dal and JD(S).

• May 25, 2023 07:02 PM IST

  BJP's Pragya Thakur on new Parliament row: ‘If President herself says…’

  BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur said slammed the Opposition parties Thursday and said "The construction of the new Parliament House so fast is a record in itself. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked with a new thought. If the President herself says that PM Modi should inaugurate, then what is wrong with it? The Prime Minister and President of the country are all together in this, so it is a matter of pride for the country."

  "Opposition is against the development. The opposition feels that if they do not protest then their roots will be shaken. The opposition does not understand anything good or bad. The plans of the opposition will never be fulfilled," she said.

• May 25, 2023 06:51 PM IST

  ‘Bankrupt politics’: Prakash Javadekar slams Opposition for boycott call

  Former union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said, “This is most unfortunate and bankrupt politics. This is the hypocrisy of opposition parties to object and boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The opposition needs to understand this is India's Parliament House. Three committees have inspected the current nearly 100-year-old Parliament House and they have reported that there has to be a new Parliament building. Congress never did it, and PM Modi has done it. Instead of appreciating it, they are boycotting the event.”

• May 25, 2023 06:40 PM IST

  Plea in SC seeks invite for President in new Parliament ceremony: What does it say?

  The plea in Supreme Court demanding that President Murmu inaugurate the new Parliament building states, “According to the Constitution, Parliament consists of the President of India and the two Houses of the apex legislature, the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.”

  "That Article 79 of the Constitution states that there shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and the two Houses--Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of People (Lok Sabha). But the Respondents are not following Indian Constitution," the PIL said.

  Referring to Article 79 of the Constitution, it said, the President is an integral part of Parliamentary form of democracy and that the apex court's interference is required to save "democracy of this nation".

• May 25, 2023 06:38 PM IST

  New Parliament inauguration: Lok Sabha to have thrice the current capacity at 888 seats in new complex

  In the new Parliament, the Lok Sabha will have thrice the current seating capacity at 888 seats.

• May 25, 2023 06:31 PM IST

  Classical dancer Padma Subrahmanyam shares thoughts on installation of Sengol in new Parliament complex

  Classical dancer Padma Subrahmanyam, who wrote a letter on 'Sengol' to Prime Minister's Office, spoke about its significance Thursday and said, I feel elated that the Sengol will be placed in building of India's secular government…" Sengol will be installed by PM Modi during the inauguration of the new Parliament building on Sunday.

• May 25, 2023 06:23 PM IST

  New Parliament building to feature artworks showcasing India’s past, diversity

  The interiors of the new Parliament, which will be inaugurated on the weekend, will display art installations curated from different parts of the country.

• May 25, 2023 06:13 PM IST

  Owaisi's ‘untouchable’ jibe at Oppn, targets Centre over new Parliament row

  Asaduddin Owaisi Wednesday echoed the same sentiments of the 20 opposition parties and took a swipe at the Centre over the new Parliament complex inaugural row. Read more.

• May 25, 2023 06:08 PM IST

  Amit Shah's scathing attack on Congress on Parliament launch row

  Union minister Amit Shah Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party for their call to boycott the inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament complex on Sunday. Shah evoked multiple instances of Congress and other Opposition parties' rule when during such launch events, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and state chief ministers were given precedence instead of the governors.

• May 25, 2023 05:53 PM IST

  ‘Sengol’ sceptre to be handed to PM Modi by head priest of Madurai Adheenam on Sunday

  “I will be meeting PM Modi and presenting the 'Sengol' to him on the inauguration of the new Parliament building,” said Sri Harihara Desika Swamigal, the 293rd head priest of Madurai Adheenam on Thursday. Read about its significance.

• May 25, 2023 05:49 PM IST

  Parliament inauguration row| '140 crore Indians won't forget…': NDA slams Opposition

  The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) slammed the boycott call of opposition parties of the new Parliament building’s inauguration on Sunday. Read more.

• May 25, 2023 05:46 PM IST

  Congress's ‘phone call’ dig at Mayawati amid new Parliament building launch row

  The Congress party on Thursday took a swipe at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati for her earlier tweet on the ongoing controversy over the inauguration of the new Parliament building. ongress's social media head Supriya Shrinate said…read more.

• May 25, 2023 05:45 PM IST

  Bihar BJP slams CM Nitish Kumar for opposing inauguration of new Parliament building by PM Modi

  Bihar BJP President Samrat Chaudhary Thursday hit out at CM Nitish Kumar for opposing the inauguration of the new Parliament building by PM Modi, scheduled to take place Sunday. “He himself has inaugurated important complexes here (in Patna), so ideally he should take them down…”

• May 25, 2023 05:40 PM IST

  'New Parliament building', ‘Rashtrapati chunav’ trend massively on Twitter amid row over launch ceremony

  Twitter saw a sharp increase in volume of tweets related to ‘new parliament buidling’, ‘Rashtrapati chunav (Presidential election)’ as the row over the launch of new complex continues. While the BJP and the Opposition parties continued to trade barbs, attacking each other on the issue, public sentiments on the row over of role of the PM and President on the constitutional framework also surfaced online.

• May 25, 2023 05:32 PM IST

  Yogi Adityanath slams Oppn on Parliament launch row: ‘Irresponsible…’

  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lashed out at the opposition parties on Thursday over their decision to boycott the launch of new parliament and said, "Under the chairmanship of the esteemed Prime Minister of the Nation, Narendra Modi, the new Parliament, a symbol of India's democracy, will be dedicated to the country. It will be a proud moment for the entire country," he said. "On this historic occasion, the kind of comments and statements made by all the opposition parties, including the Congress, are extremely sad, irresponsible, and will weaken democracy", he added.

• May 25, 2023 05:29 PM IST

  Delhi CM Kejriwal's big charge on BJP on new Parliament launch row

  Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday questioned PM Modi and his government's decision to not invite President Droupadi Murmu to the event. In a tweet, he said, “Modi did not invite the then President Shri Ram Nath Kovind to lay the foundation stone of Lord Shri Ram temple. Modi did not invite Mr. Ramnath Kovind to lay the foundation stone of the new Parliament House. Now the present President is not even getting the inauguration of the new Parliament House done by the hands of Mrs. Draupadi Murmu. The SC and ST society across the country is asking whether we are considered inauspicious, is that why she was not invited?”

• May 25, 2023 05:22 PM IST

  Congress leaders counter Puri on Parliament launch row, BJP says ‘belittling their own’

  Amid ongoing row over the launch of new Parliament building, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor dismissed Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri's argument of supposed precedence and said…read more.

• May 25, 2023 05:17 PM IST

  Telangana governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan's ‘crocodile tears’ remark for Oppn amid new Parl inauguration row

  Telangana governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan Thursday waded into the row over the launch of new Parliament complex Sunday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She reacted to the Opposition's demand that President, not the PM should preside over the cermony and said, “the state governments which do not respect the governors, are shedding crocodile tears today that the constitutional head was invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building." She backed her statement citing the claim that she was neither informed nor invited to the inauguration of the Telangana new Secretariat.

• May 25, 2023 05:11 PM IST

  New Parliament inauguration row: Congress attacks Mayawati after BSP opposes boycott call by Oppn

  Congress' Supriya Shrinate Thursday launched a scathing attack on BSP supremo Mayawati for labelling the boycott call – of the new Parliament building inauguration by nearly two dozen Opposition parties – as 'unfair'. It seems that the phone has reached sister. BSP supremo Mayawati ji in the field in defense of Modi government. The picture of the alliance in UP has become a bit more clear…," Shrinate tweeted, shortly after Mayawati extended BSP's support for the decision to have PM Modi launch the new complex on Sunday.

• May 25, 2023 05:07 PM IST

  What is ‘Sengol’ (sceptre) to be installed by PM Modi in new Parliament in inaugural event

  'Sengol', a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, will be installed by PM Modi in the new Parliament in inaugural event on Sunday. Read more about its significance.

• May 25, 2023 05:02 PM IST

  Maha CM Eknath Shinde to attend new Parliament building inauguration event

  Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde will attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building in New Delhi on Sunday.

• May 25, 2023 04:54 PM IST

  Ravi Shankar Prasad’s appeal to Congress on Parliament event

  Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad Thursday urged to the Congress party to attend the new Parliament inauguration event and not politicize the issue. He said…read more.

• May 25, 2023 04:47 PM IST

  Sitharaman's swipe at Congress over boycott call: 'When Sonia Gandhi...'

  Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman Thursday took a swipe at Congress over the boycott call by several Opposition parties amid the row over new Parliament inauguration. She recalled when former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had laid the foundation stone for the Chhattisgarh assembly building instead of the Governor of that state earlier and also refuted the Opposition's claims that the Sunday event would 'undermine' the President's authority. "I am surprised by their allegation. These parties saw the President coming from a tribal background and took up a bitter campaign against her. Leaders of the opposition parties spoke ill of her and said she will be a rubber stamp and that she represents evil forces."

  "But the Prime Minister gave her due respect. Those who ran a bitter campaign then are now suddenly speaking for her," the finance minister added.

• May 25, 2023 04:41 PM IST

  New Parliament inauguration row: What happened so far?

  As the BJP and the Opposition parties continued to trade barbs ahead of new Parliament building launch on the row over PM Narendra Modi  launching the complex, 20 Opposition parties including the Congress, and AAP decided to boycott the event, to be held on Sunday. While some parties including the Biju Janata Dal will attend the ceremony, BSP supremo Mayawati said Thursday that she doesn't support the 'boycott' call. However, However, Mayawati will not attend the event, for which she cited other commitments.

  On Thursday, amid the war of words between the political parties, a lawyer filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking an invite for President Murmu to preside over the event. The court is expected to hear the plea Friday.

• May 25, 2023 04:38 PM IST

  UP CM Yogi dog at Opposition over new Parliament inauguration boycott | Watch

  Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday took a sharp dig at the Opposition over its call to boycott the inauguration of the new parliament building on Sunday. Watch here.

• May 25, 2023 04:32 PM IST

  On new Parliament complex inauguration row, Devendra Fadnavis terms opposition 'double faced'

  Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis Thursday attacked the Congress party on the new Parliament building inauguration row and said “It is a symbol of a new resurgent India…but, see the double face of these (Opposition) people. They say that President should inaugurate the Parliament Building. And then Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament building. Then, why did not this issue come up?" The BJP leader's comment came as he referred to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi presiding over the inaugural ceremony of building within the Parliament in the years 1975 and 1987 respectively.

• May 25, 2023 04:27 PM IST

  Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu congratulates PM Modi on new Parliament building

  Telugu Desam Party president Chandrababu Naidu Thursday celebrated the upcoming inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building and congratulated PM Modi and the government for the same. He also praised the workers incolved in the construction of the complex and tweeted, “As we have a new Parliament building, I join a joyous and proud nation in congratulating PM Modi Ji, the Union government, and every hand that has contributed to building this historic structure. I wish for the new Parliament building to become the abode for transformational policy and decision-making.” He further added that “the dream of a poverty-free India where the gap between haves and have-nots has been bridged will be achieved by 2047, on completion of 100 years of independence.”

• May 25, 2023 04:20 PM IST

  ‘Is there a logic?': CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat wades into new Parliament inauguration row

  Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat said thursday, "NDA has been nowhere in the past few days. I have read their statement but they are not answering the main question - why is there the Prime Minister instead of the President at a ceremony like this? Is there a logic to it?…They are just making accusations instead of answering the questions, which I feel, is not convincing. We reject this."

• May 25, 2023 04:18 PM IST

  BJP national vice president Raman Singh attacks Congress on Parliament inauguration row

  Former Chhattisgarh chief minister and BJP national vice president Raman Singh, attacking the Congress party on the new Parliament building inauguration row, said Thursday, “ the Congress is showing dual-face by doing politics on the new Parliament building.”

• May 25, 2023 04:16 PM IST

  Advocate Jaya Sukin's reaction on PIL filed in SC seeking invite for President

  Advocate CR Jaya Sukin reacting on the plea filed in the Supreme Court, seeking a direction that the New Parliament building be inaugurated by President Murmu, said Thursday, “Yesterday only they confirmed the inauguration & gave out invitations. So I filed the PIL today. If the matter is not listed tomorrow for hearing, I will directly mention it before judges."

• May 25, 2023 04:12 PM IST

  On 20 parties' decision to boycott new Parl building inauguration, Mayawati says…

  BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday took to Twitter to oppose the boycott call by 20 Opposition parties amid the row over the inauguaration of the new Parliament building. She said, "Whether it was the government of the Congress party at the Center before or now of the BJP, the BSP has always supported them on issues related to the country and public interest, rising above party politics and the party also supported the inauguration of the new building of the Parliament on May 28. Looking at it in this context, it is welcomed…read more.

• May 25, 2023 04:04 PM IST

  These political parties will attend inauguration ceremony of new Parl building. Full list

  As 20 Opposition parties are set to boycott the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament complex Sunday, some have announced they would be attending the event. The list includes Biju Janata Dal and…check  more details here.

• May 25, 2023 03:59 PM IST

  PM Modi to inaugurate new Parliament building this week: Who all are invited?

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate to the nation the new Parliament building on Sunday, in which these dignitaries have been invited…check details.

• May 25, 2023 03:54 PM IST

  PM Modi jabs Opposition on new Parliament opening boycott

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday took a swipe at the opposition parties for boycotting the inauguration ceremony of the new parliament building. Referring to his recently concluded Sydney visit, he said…read more.

• May 25, 2023 03:49 PM IST

  What Rahul Gandhi said on Parliament inauguration by PM Modi

  Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said President should inaugurate the new Parliament building, not the prime minister. In a tweet he wrote…read here.

• May 25, 2023 03:44 PM IST

  20 opposition parties to boycott new Parliament inauguration

  20 Opposition parties are set to boycott prime minister Narendra Modi's launch of the new Parliament building, scheduled for Sunday. What they said in the letter. Read here.

• May 25, 2023 03:35 PM IST

  Petition in SC seeks invite for Prez to new Parliament event

  A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking an invite for President Draupadi Murmu to the inauguration of the new Parliament building on Sunday.

• May 25, 2023 03:23 PM IST

  Assam CM Himanta attacks ‘eco-system’ over Sengol

  Amid the BJP versus Opposition war of words on new Parliament building inaguration row, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Thursday waded in, alleging that the Congress party displayed disregard for Hindu traditions by “relegating” the ceremonial sceptre ‘Sengol’. Read more.