CHENNAI: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday appealed to the opposition parties which have decided to boycott the inauguration ceremony for the new Parliament building on May 28.
The Union Minister made this appeal while addressing a press conference at the Raj Bhavan here about the ceremony scheduled to take place on May 28 to place the Sengol (sceptre) in the Lok Sabha near the Speaker’s podium.
Asked about the decision of the opposition parties to boycott the May 28 events, the Union Minister said, "the new Parliament House is going to be there for another 100 to 200 years where the representatives of the people will be debating the issues. Are we going to boycott this House? It is a temple of democracy. I humbly request the opposition parties to reconsider their stand to boycott.”
When asked about the charge of the opposition parties that the ruling BJP is disrespecting the office of the president by not inviting her to inaugurate the new Parliament House, Nirmala Sitharaman said, "I am surprised by this allegation. Leaders of opposition parties today see the President as an eminent leader particularly coming from a tribal background. But they were the ones who had undertaken a very bitter campaign against her when she contested for Presidentship.”
Stating that she did not wish to recall the words used against her at that time by the opposition parties, Nirmala Sithraman said leaders belonging to the very same opposition parties spoke ill of her; abused her and said that she would be a rubber stamp.
"They (opposition) said I am representing evil forces....obviously, they had the RSS in mind. They also chose someone to contest against me and now suddenly became morally motivated to charge that I am being disrespected," the Finance Minister said and added, "the Prime Minister gives her due respect and all of us are extremely proud of our President."
Questioned what is the necessity of reenacting the Sengol presentation event now when the country is ruled by our government and since 75 years have passed since the country got Independence, the Union Finance Minister said, "the Sengol was given to Nehru as a representative of the people and that should have been kept it in Parliament from that time but it did not take place. That is what the prime minister is doing now."
Asked whether the presence of Nandhi in the Sengol is seen as a religious symbol, the Union Minister said, "In many countries even now, there is the process for transfer of power. In a democracy, we speak about the power of the people. So, in 1947, it was given to Nehru and the power transfer took place only when the Sengol was given. The Sengol signifies the ruler should be righteous. We should not forget the philosophy behind the Sengol."
In this connection to this, she also cited Thirukkural couplets in the Chapter Sengonmai (The Right Sceptre) and added that "it is not Thevaram hymns alone that speak about Sengol."
When asked about the historical evidence for establishing that this presentation of Sengol symbolised the transfer of power, Nirmala Sithraman said, "There is as much documentary proof to establish that the presentation of Sengol actually symbolised the transfer of power. All these are derived from research sources."
A total of 21 opposition parties, including the Congress have announced a boycott of the inauguration of the new Parliament building. They have said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to inaugurate the building without President Droupadi Murmu "insults the high office of the President, and violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will dedicate to the nation the new Parliament building on May 28.