A group of 270 eminent citizens, including former bureaucrats, ambassadors, and veterans, issued a statement condemning the opposition parties for boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building in India. According to the reports by Hindustan Times, The signatories, which included retired bureaucrats, veterans, and academicians, criticized the opposition's "skeletal arguments, immature, whimsy and hollow reasoning" and accused them of engaging in non-democratic posturing.
According to the statement, the opposition parties, particularly the Congress, have come together to boycott events that represent India because they prioritize their own interests over the country's. They alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties find the democratically elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his inclusive policies "unpalatable." The statement emphasized that the opposition parties are undermining democracy and engaging in disrespectful behavior towards important institutions.
The signatories highlighted past instances of opposition boycotts, such as the boycott of Parliament's midnight session to launch the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017 and the boycott of Lok Sabha in 2020 to support suspended Rajya Sabha members. They criticized the opposition's use of placards, sloganeering, and disrespectful protests, including using household items like milk packets, as authoritarian and a direct assault on democracy.
The statement mentioned the opposition's boycott of President Droupadi Murmu's customary speech before the Union Budget 2023 and referred to insults inflicted on her by the Congress party. It expressed disappointment that the Congress, as the oldest political party, had chosen to cry foul instead of embracing the proud moment of the Parliament building's inauguration.
The statement argued for the need for a new Parliament building, citing remarks from the former Speaker Meira Kumar about the existing building's deficiencies. It criticized the undemocratic nature and hubris of the Congress party, suggesting that their actions have led to a loss of popularity among the opposition.
The signatories resolved to stand by the country and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Indians. The reports also mentioned that 19 opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, TMC, SP, and AAP, announced their decision to boycott the inauguration, stating that they believe the "soul of democracy has been sucked out." However, other political parties, such as the Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress Party, and Akali Dal, distanced themselves from the opposition's move. Mayawati, the chief of the Bahujan Samaj Party, criticized the boycott and supported the government's right to unveil the new Parliament building.
(With PTI Inputs)
