The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on May 26 hit out at the Centre for not inviting President Droupadi Murmu for the inauguration of the new Parliament building, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered the new complex his “estate” as he felt it was created by him.
In an editorial in mouthpiece Saamana, the party sought to know whether BJP stalwart L.K. Advani had been invited to the event. “Has Advani, because of whom the BJP could see achhe din, been invited?” it asked.
Twenty opposition parties, including the Congress and the Sena (UBT), have announced that they would boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building at the hands of PM Modi, contending that it is the President who should do the honours. In the mouthpiece, the Sena (UBT) said the president is the head of the country and also the first citizen of India and the position should be not insulted.
“Modi’s policy is that the new Parliament building has been built by me and it is my estate. So the plaque will only have my name. This arrogance is dangerous for democracy,” the party said. The new Parliament does not belong to any party but to the country, it said, adding that BJP leaders talking about democracy was a joke. “Has Advani, because of whom the BJP could see ‘achhe din’, been invited for the event?” it asked. The Leader of the Opposition enjoys equal status as the prime minister. So it would have been more graceful if the invitation letter also had the name of the LoP, it said. “The government has given a clear message that if you come to our private party you will be insulted. ‘Mindhe-Fadnavis’ (Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis) like to attend such parties. Just see if there is space for Advani,” it said. It said when the President of India had not been invited to the event, it became immaterial whether anyone else was invited or not.
