Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday hoisted the national flag atop the new Parliament building, a day before the beginning of the new session. The event was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union ministers Pralhad Joshi, Piyush Goyal, Arjun Ram Meghwal among other, however, Congress chief and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and party MP Rahul Gandhi were absent. Although, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury took part in the event.
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After the event, reporters asked Chowdhury on Kharge and Gandhi's absence, to which, the Congress MP replied, “Is it no sufficient that I am here? If I am not useful here, tell me and I will leave.” He further suggested to concentrate on those who are present at the venue.
The Congress chief earlier expressed his dissapointment after he received a ‘late invite’ for the function. He was Hyderabad for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting when he received the invite.
Writing to Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody, Kharge told, "I am writing this letter with a sense of disappointment that I have received your invite for a flag hoisting function tomorrow at the new Parliament Building only on September 15, quite late in the evening."
He is currently attended meeting of the party's newly constituted working committee and is scheduled to return to Delhi Sunday night. He said it will not be feasible for him to attend the function
{{/usCountry}}He is currently attended meeting of the party's newly constituted working committee and is scheduled to return to Delhi Sunday night. He said it will not be feasible for him to attend the function
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