E-Paper
'Count us out': Derek O'Brien says Trinamool Congress to skip new Parliament building inauguration
Reportedly, several opposition parties are likely to unitedly skip the ceremony, however, a final decision on it will be taken on Wednesday.
The Trinamool Congress will not attend the inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building in Delhi on May 28, party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien announced on Tuesday. Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the TMC MP said that the new building is just about “I, me, and myself” for him.
Also read: 'President not member': BJP's defence vs Opposition's jibe on new Parliament building
“Parliament is not just a new building; it is an establishment with old traditions, values, precedents and rules - it is the foundation of Indian democracy. PM Modi doesn’t get that. For him, Sunday’s inauguration of the new building is all about I, ME, MYSELF. So count us out,” Derek O'Brien wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, CPI general secretary D Raja also said that his party will not attend the ceremony, reported news agency PTI. Reportedly, several opposition parties are likely to unitedly skip the ceremony, however, a final decision on it will be taken on Wednesday.
PM Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on May 28 at 12 pm, reported ANI. On May 18, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla met PM Modi to invite him to inaugurate the new building.
Also read: Shashi Tharoor's ‘bizarre enough’ tweet amid new Parliament building row
The new building offers spacious seats, the latest facilities, and tablets on each desk. According to the Lok Sabha secretariat, arrangements have been made for a meeting of 888 members in the Lok Sabha and for 384 members in the Rajya Sabha. In the present building, there is a provision for the sitting of 543 members in the Lok Sabha, while 250 in the Rajya Sabha.
PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament building on December 10, 2020. However, the construction was delayed due to the second wave of Covid-19 in 2021.
