Nitish Kumar on new Parliament building: Amid the Opposition's furore over the new Parliament building in the national capital, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar slammed the central government and also questioned the need for a new Parliament. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, he said the earlier building was a historic one and there was no need to change it.
"What was the need for a new Parliament? The earlier building was a historic one. I have repeatedly said that the people in power will change the history of this country," Kumar added.
'No sense to attend NITI Aayog meeting & Parliament building inauguration'
The Bihar Chief Minister further stated that there was no sense attend the NITI Aayog meeting today (May 27) and also the inauguration of the new Parliament building tomorrow (May 28). His statement came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair the eighth governing council meeting of Niti Aayog on Saturday at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, a group of 270 eminent citizens, including former bureaucrats, ambassadors and veterans, on Friday condemned the Opposition for boycotting new Parliament building inauguration and claimed the "family-first" parties have come together to boycott all that represents India.
While it is a proud occasion for all Indians but opposition parties with their "skeletal arguments, immature, whimsy and hollow reasoning, and most of all flagrant display of non-democratic posturing, just don't get it", they said in a statement.
20 Opposition parties to boycott the inauguration
As many as 20 Opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, TMC, SP and AAP, have announced their decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Modi, saying they find no value in a new building when the "soul of democracy has been sucked out".
PM Modi to inaugurate new Parliament on May 28
It should be mentioned here that PM Modi will inaugurate the new Parliament building on May 28 following an invitation by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Earlier on May 26, the Prime Minister said the new Parliament building will make every Indian proud, as he posted a video of the newly-constructed complex on Twitter and urged people to share it on the social media platform with the hashtag 'MyParliamentMyPride'.
The video shared by the Prime Minister gives a virtual tour of the new Parliament building including the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. As many as 25 parties are expected to attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building even as 20 Opposition parties have decided to boycott the event.
(With inputs from agencies)
