LUCKNOW: Lashing out at the opposition for boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it was "extremely sad and irresponsible."
Launching a broadside on the opposition on Thursday, CM Yogi said that May 28 would go into the annals of history as one of the most glorious moments of independent India and the people will never accept the Opposition's stand of boycotting it.
“Under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, the new Parliament, the highest institution of democracy, will be dedicated to the country. It will be a proud moment for the entire country,” he said while interacting with media persons. He said that instead of becoming a witness to this historic occasion, the statements being made by opposition parties would weaken democracy.
The CM said the opposition’s stand seemed to be an attempt to denigrate the democratic values of India. "The whole country is watching this mala fide attempt of the opposition to belittle democracy,” he said.
Speaking on the new Parliament building, CM Yogi said, "It is built with a 100-year vision and has a perfect blend of tradition and modernity. It ensures adequate space for each parliamentarian and access to all amenities. This Parliament will serve as a significant forum for raising the voice of the common man. However, the opposition rhetoric is extremely upsetting and unfortunate."
Reacting to the Opposition’s objection to the inauguration by the PM instead of the President, the UP CM said it was not new in the democratic history of India. “The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had inaugurated the Parliament Annexe and former PM Rajiv Gandhi had laid the foundation of the Parliament Library,” he claimed.
"Apart from this, there are many other examples. The country and its citizens will never accept the opposition's attempts to degrade the historical significance of witnessing this momentous event. We would appeal to people to witness and participate in this glorious moment with a call to strengthen India's democracy,” added CM Yogi.