Inauguration boycott
The political scene in India has descended to such low depths that party and personal emotions have overturned national feelings. In the matter of the inauguration of the new Parliament complex, I share the view that the President of India is the right person for this role. However, one is entitled to have his or her own views on the propriety of the Prime Minister having the main role. The Opposition parties’ claim that they occupy the high ground in the matter of respect for Parliament and its sanctity is hollow. Their groaning about the temple of democracy and its desecration is without basis. To say that the new Parliament complex is a vanity project of the Prime Minister is again shallow as some Opposition leaders did support the need for a larger complex. It is time that all political parties in India took a deep breath and ordered their elected representatives to observe the sanctity of their own roles as Members of Parliament.
T.C. Narayan,
Bengaluru
Whether the act of the Prime Minister of not inviting the President of India to inaugurate the new Parliament is of a grave nature or otherwise is a different matter that can be discussed at length only by the fraternity of legal eagles in the country. Perhaps the Prime Minister can try and keep the Opposition informed of the reason behind him inaugurating the new building on May 28, which will go a long way in easing the tension.
Mani Nataraajan,
Chennai
The present regime’s aversion to any version of a consensus-based decision-making process with the Opposition is not a new phenomenon. It is unfortunate that the same old trend continues for the inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building too. Through its relentless ‘selective actions’ against various Opposition parties, the ruling regime has already paved a way for them to unify. Now, the Centre has gifted a perfect excuse to the ‘unified Opposition’ to boycott the event.
The absence of 19 parties from the inaugural ceremony cannot be brushed aside easily, even if there are the best possible image-building exercises by the government. It is time for the ruling regime to listen to the Opposition parties and arrive at a consensus to make the event a successful one.
A. Venkatasubramanian,
Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu
That the Prime Minister and not India’s second woman President, Droupadi Murmu, is ‘consecrating’ its temple of democracy, the new Parliament building, is simply a case of political mileage taking precedence over protocol. Reading about the elaborate arrangements for the event, including the installation of a sceptre called the Sengol, one would get a sense of the inauguration turning into a kind of ‘coronation’, like we recently witnessed in the United Kingdom. It is unfortunate that such a momentous event in the history of our democracy is unfolding amid controversy.
S. Sanjeevi Rao,
Puducherry
Elections. results, lessons
Elections are unpredictable events, leading to surprise victories and losses, (Editorial page, May 25) as they revolve around a lot of factors, both positive and negative. The real point is that people do not have the choice or the freedom to select persons to contest, who in turn will lead them to a better life.
A nation will make gains only if its politicians stop playing petty games and promote programmes and plans for the total development of the nation.
Arun B. Asok,
Enkakad, Thrissur, Kerala
