Hardeep Puri refuses to accept the Congress' new Parliament inauguration jab, "If Indira, Rajiv Gandhi can"

The Union minister brought up former prime ministers Rajiv and Indira Gandhi, who respectively opened the library and the Parliament annexe.
 
Hardeep Puri refuses to accept the Congress' new Parliament inauguration jab, "If Indira, Rajiv Gandhi can"

On Tuesday, Government Minister Hardeep Singh Puri criticised the Congress for objecting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's opening of the new Parliament building and allegedly not inviting President Droupadi Murmu. He claimed that the library and the Parliament annexe were previously inaugurated by the then-prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.

Prior to this, senior Congressman Shashi Tharoor cited Articles 60 and 111 of the Constitution and asserted that the President, as the head of Parliament, should inaugurate the building, adding that it was "bizzare" for the PM to perform the ground-breaking ceremony prior to the building's construction.

Puri refuted Tharoor's assertions, saying, "The Parliament library was launched by PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1987, while the annexe was opened by then-PM Indira Gandhi in August 1975. Why couldn't our head of government do the same if your head of government (the Congress) can inaugurate them?

The President's oath or affirmation is covered in Article 60 of the Constitution, which mandates that every President, person acting in the capacity of President, or person carrying out the duties of the President take the oath or affirmation before taking office and sign it in front of India's Chief Justice.

After a law has been approved by both Houses of the Parliament, assent is granted pursuant to Article 111 of the Constitution. After being presented with the measures, the President has the power to approve or reject them.

The Union minister argued that the Congress misread both Articles of the Constitution because they "don't know how to read the Constitution."

Former President Ram Nath Kovind was not invited to the foundation-laying ceremony for the new Parliament building in December 2020, as noted earlier by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The Modi administration, he claimed, has "repeatedly violated propriety." He tweeted, "The BJP-RSS Government has degraded the Office of the President of India to tokenism.

On May 28, Prime Minister Modi will dedicate the new Parliament structure. At least five opposition parties have stated they will not attend the ceremony because they believe the President, not the Prime Minister, should be the one to officially open the new structure.

The core of Indian democracy is Parliament, which is more than simply a brand-new structure; it is a place with centuries-old traditions, beliefs, precedents, and regulations. PM Modi is not aware of that. He believes that Sunday's dedication of the new structure is all about him, me, and me. Hence, consider us defeated," Trinamool Congress Member Derek O'Brien tweeted. His group left the event first and was the first to do so.