'It's An Insult': Anurag Thakur Slams Opposition For Boycotting New Parliament Inauguration

Anurag Thakur slammed the Opposition for its decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building, saying it was an 'insult'.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday slammed the Opposition for its decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building, saying it was an "insult", as reported by the news agency PTI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday. 20 Opposition parties, including Congress, AAP, TMC and Samajwadi Party, have announced their decision to boycott the function contending that President Droupadi Murmu should do the honours.

"It is a different matter that some people got barred from Parliament. Earlier, they used to find excuses for not allowing Parliament to function. Now, they are talking of boycott which is also an insult," Thakur said, as quoted by PTI. The minister for information and broadcasting was addressing the inaugural session of a day-long national conclave organised by Doordarshan to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the Modi government.

India takes pride in being the "mother of democracy" and Prime Minister Modi has given a new Parliament building to the nation, which is the world's largest democracy, said Thakur.

Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Apurva Chandra and Prasar Bharti CEO Gaurav Dwivedi attended the inaugural session of the conclave.

A booklet titled "9 Years -- Seva, Sushasan, Garib Kalyan", listing the achievement of the Modi government, was also released on the occasion. 

PM Modi will also be releasing a coin and stamp on the historic occasion and will also be making his speech on the occasion following which the Secretary-General Lok Sabha will deliver the Vote of Thanks to mark the closing of the ceremony, ANI reported citing sources.

Amid the boycott call by the opposition, the Centre has received a confirmed list of 25 political parties, including some which are not a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), that will participate in the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building on May 28.

Apart from BJP, several parties in the NDA including AIADMK, Apna Dal, the Republican Party of India, the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, NPP, and NPF have confirmed their attendance for the function on Sunday.