Sharad Pawar, the president of the Nationalist Congress Party, supported the opposition parties' choice to abstain from attending the inauguration of the new Parliament building. He emphasized that Members of Parliament were not adequately consulted regarding this matter.
Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned inauguration on May 28, approximately 20 opposition parties have decided to boycott the event, advocating for President Droupadi Murmu to perform the ceremony.
During a conversation with reporters in Pune, Pawar stated that he had been a Member of Parliament for a long time and shared that the current building, which dates back to the colonial era, was in good shape.
“Now that the construction is done, we were not consulted on the inauguration of the (Parliament) building. As per norms, the President of India addresses the first session (of Parliament) every year. So, it is obvious that the President should inaugurate the new building. Since no one is being taken into confidence, senior opposition leaders felt that we should stay away and I agree with it," he said.
The opposition parties have put forth the argument that President Murmu should be the one to perform the inauguration because she holds the dual role of being both the Head of State and an essential component of Parliament. As the President, she has the authority to summon, prorogue, and address the institution.