BJP has reduced President’s office to ‘mere tokenism’, says Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge
The Hindu
In a series of tweets, Mr. Kharge said inauguration of the new Parliament building by President Murmu will “symbolise Government’s commitment to Democratic values and Constitutional propriety.”
Mounting a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government for not ‘inviting’ President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate the new Parliament building, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on May 22 said that the President of India, being the highest Constitutional authority, alone represents the government, the opposition and the citizens alike.
In a series of tweets, Mr. Kharge said inauguration of the new Parliament building by President Murmu will “symbolise Government’s commitment to Democratic values and Constitutional propriety.”
The Congress President accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of reducing the President’s office to “mere tokenism” and “only for electoral reasons”.
“It looks like the Modi government has ensured election of President of India from the Dalit and the Tribal communities only for electoral reasons. While former president, Mr. Kovind was not invited for the New Parliament foundation laying ceremony. The President of India Droupadi Murmu is not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament Building,” Mr. Kharge said.
“The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India, and the President of India is its highest Constitutional authority. She alone represents government, opposition, and every citizen alike. She is the First Citizen of India,” he added.
During the foundation laying ceremony of the new Parliament, several Opposition parties had boycotted the ceremony since it was not the then President Kovind but Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had laid the foundation of the new building.
On May 28, Mr. Modi is slated to inaugurate the new Parliament building after he was invited to do so by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.