BJD to attend inauguration of new Parliament building

BHUBANESWAR: The Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday said its MPs will attend the inauguration of the new building of Parliament on Sunday.
The BJD announcement came shortly after 19 opposition parties announced their boycott of the ceremony, in protest against the government’s decision to have Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the building and not President Droupadi Murmu.

“The BJD shall be a part of this momentous occasion,” BJD’s floor leader in Rajya Sabha, Sasmit Patra said, adding the party MPs will attend it at their convenience. Their will be no whip since some members may be pre-occupied. However, BJD as a party will be part of the opening ceremony, he said.
Justifying the BJD decision, Sasmit said while the President of India is the head of the Indian state, the Parliament represents the 1.4 billion people of India. Both the institutions are symbols of Indian democracy and draw their authority from the Constitution of India.

“While their authority and stature should always be safeguarded, BJD believes that these Constitutional institutions should be above any issue which may affect their sanctity and honour. Such issues can always be debated later in the august house,” he said.
BJD has 12 members in Lok Sabha and nine in Rajya Sabha. The secretary general of Lok Sabha, Utpal Kumar Singh, has invited the MPs for dedication to the nation of the new Parliament building at noon on Sunday. Speaker Om Birla will be present with the PM.