Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 26 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy has slammed the Congress for announcing a boycott of the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building alleging that it was doing so as a diversion tactic and to gain a few votes of a certain community.
He also alleged that the Congress party is only trying to gain a few votes from a section of people by opposing the Parliament inauguration.
"Now, they (Congress) are showing a lot of respect and affection for the President. Why did they put a candidate against her? Now they are saying that they (BJP) are insulting Adivasis. All this is only to divert the people's attention and gain votes from a section of the society," said Kumaraswamy.
"All these are attempts to get a few votes from a certain community and even Congress is aware of its hypocrisy. I wanted to ask them if the boycott is only restricted to the inauguration or will they even boycott the parliament sessions in near future?" Kumaraswamy asked.
While the JD(S) will attend the unveiling ceremony on May 28, Kumaraswamy said that it did not indicate that his party had a soft corner for the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla are slated to dedicate the new Parliament building to the nation on May 28.
The JD(S) leader further said that the parliament building does not belong to any organisation or party.
"Today they (Congress) are boycotting in the future also they will not attend the parliament session. What will they do in the future?," asked Kumaraswamy.
He pointed out that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had laid the foundation of the Chhattisgarh assembly without inviting the then Governor.
"Even in Karnataka when this Vikas Soudha adjacent to Vidha Soudha, was inaugurated the Congress did not invite the then governor Rama Devi," said Kumaraswamy.
Earlier on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at Congress and opposition parties said that they are making an excuse that President should inaugurate the new Parliament building. He cited several examples from opposition-ruled states where Governor was not invited to "bhoomi pujan" functions concerning state assemblies.
He noted that Chhattisgarh Governor was not invited when the bhoomi pujan of the new State assembly was done and Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had been invited.
Amit Shah also cited similar instances during the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand, the Congress government led by Tarun Gogoi in Assam and the previous Congress government in Manipur. He also mentioned Tamil Nadu."When you do, all is fine. And when the BJP does it, you boycott it," he said.
The opposition parties said in the statement that the new Parliament building has been built "at great expense during a once-in-a-century pandemic with no consultation with the people of India or MPs, for whom it is apparently being built."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament Building on December 10, 2020.
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