Opposition parties from the Congress to the Trinamool Congress to the Left will boycott Friday’s Constitution Day function at Parliament’s Central Hall where President Ram Nath Kovind will address, in protest against Narendra Modi Government’s “trampling upon” the Constitution.
Besides the Congress, other parties that will not send MPs for the programme are RJD, DMK, CPI(M), CPI, RSP, Kerala Congress and Muslim League among others.
The Congress took the decision to skip the function at a meeting chaired by Sonia and attended by Mallikarjun Kharge. This is the second time that the Opposition is boycotting the November 26 function.
In 2019, the Opposition boycotted the Central Hall function and assembled near Ambedkar Statue in Parliament House complex where leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, read the Preamble of the Constitution in protest against the swearing in of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister in an early morning coup.
Constitution on a “single day” while it was disrespecting it every other day. Leaders from two other Opposition parties said the MPs were informed about the function very late and just through bulletins and several were not aware of it.
“Actually, the government should have organised Constitution Protection Day instead of Constitution Day celebrations,” said Rajya Sabha member from RJD Manoj Jha
According to a government statement, the President would lead the celebrations of Constitution Day as part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ programme. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla would speak at the function.