President Reduced To Tokenism Under BJP Rule: Kharge Slams Centre

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday hit out at the central government for allegedly disrespecting the President of India by not inviting her to the inauguration of the new Parliament complex on May 28.

Kharge accused the Narendra Modi-led BJP government of repeatedly disrespecting constitutional propriety and said the President's Office had been reduced to tokenism.

"It looks like the Modi government ensured the election of President of India from Dalit and Tribal communities for electoral reasons. It has repeatedly disrespected propriety . Office of the President of India is reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS government," Kharge tweeted.

President Draupadi Murmu, as the highest constitutional authority of India's supreme legislative body should inaugurate the new building that will symbolise the Indian government's commitment to democratic values and constitutional propriety, Kharge urged.

"While former president Ramnath Kovind was not invited for the new Parliament foundation-laying ceremony... president of India Draupadi Murmu is not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building," he said in a tweet.

"The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India and the President of India is its highest constitutional authority. She alone represents the government, opposition, and every citizen alike. She is the 'first citizen of India'. Inauguration of the new Parliament building by her will symbolise the government's commitment to democratic values and constitutional propriety," Kharge added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to dedicate the new Parliament building to the nation on Sunday. The inauguration of the new Parliament building coincides with the birth anniversary of Veer Savarkar.

Several opposition leaders have objected to Modi inaugurating the new Parliament building, citing protocol that says the prime minister is the head of the executive and not legislature.

"The President should inaugurate the new Parliament House, not the prime minister!", Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

"Why should the PM inaugurate Parliament? He is head of the executive, not legislature. We have a separation of powers and honourable Lok Sabha speaker and Rajya Sabha chair(person) could have inaugurated. It's made with public money... why is the PM behaving like his 'friends' have sponsored it from their private funds?" AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted.