"Not Written Anywhere Who Will Inaugurate Parliament": Ex Lok Sabha Speaker

Former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Saturday took a jibe at Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh's remark over the row about the inauguration of new Parliament and said that it was not written anywhere who would inaugurate Parliament.

Reacting to Mr Singh's remark that the new Parliament not being inaugurated by the President is a violation of Article 79, Ms Mahajan said, "If there is a violation of any article, then the Supreme Court would see. In our democracy, there is facility for everything, everyone's rights have been given and rules have been written. Some rules are written and some are not. It is not written anywhere who will inaugurate the Parliament."

Now it should not be discussed, it is a good thing (inauguration of new Parliament) and it should be celebrated, she added.

Ms Mahajan further told ANI, "I would like to request all the political parties with folded hands that some things are such that we have to keep them above politics. Parliament is the temple of democracy, which has been constructed. We all are also agreeing that it was necessary to be made."

"The one who is going to inaugurate it (referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is also a member of the Parliament. The Prime Minister is also the leader of the Parliament. Therefore, I think, keeping party politics in front, questions should not be raised," Ms Mahajan said.

She also said that she was called for the inauguration and she would reach Delhi for the function on Saturday evening.

"I am feeling very good because there was a great need for a new parliament. The space was very less, people had difficulty in sitting, now the number is increasing and seats are also to be increased, so there is a need for a bigger Parliament building," she added.

Notably, Congress and other opposition parties decided to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament Building and stated that it "insults the high office of the President, and violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution".

Earlier TMC, AAP, and CPI(M) decided to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament Building on May 28.

A total of 20 parties have decided to boycott the inauguration of the new parliament building.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will dedicate to the nation the new Parliament building on May 28.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new Parliament Building on December 10, 2020. It has been built in record time with quality construction.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)