'Not convincing ... ': Brinda Karat 'rejects' NDA's statement over new Parliament inauguration row

‘Not convincing … ‘: Brinda Karat ‘rejects’ NDA’s statement over new Parliament inauguration row

NEW DELHI: Following the political row over the new Parliament building’s inauguration, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat on Thursday said that BJP led-NDA is just making accusations instead of responding to the question raised by the opposition and termed NDA’s statement as “unconvincing.”

“NDA has been nowhere in the past few days. I have read their statement but they are not answering the main question – why is there the Prime Minister instead of the President at a ceremony like this? Is there a logic to it? Just making accusations instead of answering, I feel, is not convincing. We reject this,” she said while talking to ANI.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) earlier said that it unequivocally condemns the decision of 21 political parties to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building on 28th May.

“This act is not merely disrespectful; it is a blatant affront to the democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation,” the statement from NDA reads.

The NDA further criticized the opposition parties for coming together to boycott the event stating, “Their unity is marked not by a shared vision for national development, but by a shared practice of vote bank politics and a propensity for corruption. Such parties can never hope to fulfil the aspirations of the Indian people.”

The 21 opposition parties who will now boycott the inauguration are – Congress, AIUDF, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, TMC, Janta Dal (United), Nationalist Congress Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), RJD, Indian Union Muslim League, National Conference, Communist Party of India, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress (Mani), Vidhuthalai Chirunthaigal Katchi, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Revolutionary, Socialist Party and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

In an official statement, NDA said, “We, the undersigned parties of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), unequivocally condemn the contemptuous decision of 19 political parties to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building scheduled for Sunday, 28th May. This act is not merely disrespectful; it is a blatant affront to the democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation.”

The Parliament is a hallowed institution, the beating heart of our democracy, and the epicentre of decision-making that shapes and influences the lives of our citizens. Such flagrant disrespect towards this institution betrays not only intellectual bankruptcy but a disturbing contempt for the very essence of democracy.

Targeting the Opposition for disrupting parliamentary procedures over the years, NDA said, “Regrettably, this is not the first instance of such disdain. Over the past nine years, these opposition parties have repeatedly shown scant regard for parliamentary procedures, disrupted sessions, staged walkouts during crucial legislations, and demonstrated an alarming lackadaisical attitude towards their Parliamentary duties. This recent boycott is just another feather in their cap of disregard for democratic processes.