PM Modi Takes A Dig At Opposition's Decision To Boycott Inauguration Of New Parliament Building

PM Narendra Modi had a go at the opposition for their Parliament building inauguration boycott decision.

He got back to Delhi on Thursday (25 May) after a visit to Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia.

PM Modi mentioned a recent community event in Sydney where over 20,000 people gathered to hear him. He said not only did the Australian PM Anthony Albanese attend the event, but also did the former PM as well as the MPs of both the opposition and ruling party.

Further, he criticised the opposition for questioning India's export of Covid vaccines during the pandemic.

"In times of crises, they asked why Modi was giving vaccines to the world. Remember, it's the land of Buddha, it's the land of Gandhi! We care even for our enemies, we are the people inspired by compassion!" he said.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday (28 May), but the opposition won't be well-represented as 20 parties have decided to boycott the event.

The opposition took offence, as per a statement, to the Prime Minister inaugurating the new building "by himself, completely sidelining President Murmu" and said "this undignified act" was "not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy..."

"Undemocratic acts are not new to the Prime Minister, who has relentlessly hollowed out the Parliament. Opposition Members of Parliament have been disqualified, suspended and muted when they raised the issues of the people of India... When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the parliament, we find no value in a new building," they said in a statement.

The BJP-led NDA government condemned the opposition's inauguration boycott, calling it a "blatant affront to democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation."