'Not the time for...': Govt on Oppn boycotting new Parl launch

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday urged 19 opposition parties to reconsider their decision to boycott the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building.

It was unfortunate that the opposition parties were making an issue out of a non-issue as prime ministers had inaugurated buildings in Parliament premises on earlier occasions also, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday.

The opposition parties contend that President Droupadi Murmu should do the honours as she was not only the Head of State, but also an integral part of Parliament as she summons, prorogues, and addresses it.

"I would like to tell them that this is a historical event. This is not the time for politics. Boycotting and making an issue out of a non-issue is most unfortunate. I appeal to them to reconsider their decision and join the function," Joshi told reporters in New Delhi on the sidelines of a national workshop on National e-Vidhan Application.

Home Minister Amit Shah said invitations for the inauguration of the new Parliament Building were sent to all political parties who were free to act according to their wisdom.

"The Lok Sabha Speaker is the custodian of Parliament and the Speaker has invited the prime minister," Joshi said.

The minister said the inauguration of the new Parliament building was an historical event and it was not good to politicise every event.

"After almost a century a historical thing is happening," Joshi said.

Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had inaugurated the Parliament Annexe building on October 24, 1975 and her successor Rajiv Gandhi had laid the foundation of the Parliament library on August 15, 1987.