Kamal Haasan Asks Modi: Why Shouldn’t President Attend Inauguration Of New Parliament?

Chennai: A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to inaugurate the new Parliament building, Kamal Haasan waded into the raging controversy.

The actor-turned-politician questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the decision not to invite President Droupadi Murmu to the inauguration ceremony.

“This moment of national pride has become politically divisive. I ask my Prime Minister one simple question; ‘Please tell the country, why the President of India should not attend the inauguration of our new Parliament?’ I see no reason why the President of India as Head of the State should not be part of this historic occasion,” ANI quoted the Makkal Needhi Maiam chief as saying.

Twenty national and regional parties are boycotting Sunday’s event, objecting to Modi presiding over the event instead of the President. They said it was a ‘grave insult’ and ‘direct assault’ on democracy.

The ruling BJP-led National Democractic Alliance (NDA) slammed the Opposition parties, calling their decision to boycott the event a ‘contempt for the very essence of democracy’.

“140 crore people of India will not forget this egregious insult to our democracy and to their elected representatives,” NDA leaders had said in a statement.

The Supreme Court on Friday had refused to entertain a petition seeking direction to the Centre that the new Parliament building be unveiled by President Murmu instead of the Prime Minister.