One man's ego has denied President her constitutional privilege to inaugurate new Parliament building: Congress

The Congress on May 25, 2023 stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the inauguration of the new Parliament building

The Congress on Thursday (May 25) stepped up its attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the inauguration of the new Parliament building, saying "one man's ego and desire for self-promotion" has denied the first tribal woman President her constitutional privilege to inaugurate the complex.

The Congress' attack comes a day after as many as 20 opposition parties announced their decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Mr. Modi.

Also Read | Inspired by the Cholas, handed over to Nehru: historic ‘Sengol’ to be installed in new Parliament building

Nineteen Opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, TMC, SP and AAP, came together to jointly announce the boycott, saying they find no value in a new building when the "soul of democracy has been sucked out". Separately, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said if Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla does not inaugurate the new Parliament building, his party would not attend.

In a tweet, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Yesterday, President Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the country's largest judicial campus at the Jharkhand High Court complex in Ranchi. It is one man's ego and desire for self-promotion that has denied the first Adivasi woman President her Constitutional privilege to inaugurate the new Parliament building in New Delhi on May 28th."

"Ashoka the Great, Akbar the Great, Modi the Inaugurate," Mr. Ramesh said.

After the Opposition boycott call, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had also launched a sharp counterattack, calling the Opposition stand a "blatant affront to democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation".