Jharkhand: Congress, CPI Hold Protests For 'No Invite' To President At New Parliament Building Inauguration

The Jharkhand unit of Congress, CPI and some tribal organisations on Sunday staged demonstrations here to protest against the Centre for "not inviting" President Droupadi Murmu to the inauguration of the new Parliament building. State Congress president Rajesh Thakur said that "no invite" to the President for the inauguration was "disrespect to the Constitution".

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building in New Delhi and expressed hope that it would become a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality.

Congress workers assembled near the statue of Birsa Munda in Ranchi's Birsa Chowk, holding placards with slogans such as ‘Rashtrapati Ke Samman Mein, Congress Hai Maidan Mein’ (In honour of the President, Congress is on roads) written on these. 

"The new parliament building was inaugurated today, which is indeed a matter of pride for the country. But, the President was not invited to the event. We believe that 'no invite' to the President for the inauguration was disrespect to the Constitution. So, we are here to stage a protest against the Centre’s dictatorial approach," Thakur said.

During the foundation-laying ceremony of the new Parliament building, then President Ram Nath Kovind was not invited, he claimed. "Now, President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the inauguration of the building. It seems that the BJP decided to disrespect her. The constitutional practices have been ignored, which is not good for democracy,” he said. 

Left parties and various tribal organisations also observed black-day at Ranchi’s Albert Ekka Chowk for allegedly ignoring the President during the inauguration. Communist Party of India state secretary Mahendra Pathak said, “The BJP government at the Centre has shown its dictatorship by not inviting the President. It’s a black day for the country."