AAP criticises PM Modi’s move to inaugurate new Parliament building

Earlier in the day in a joint statement, 19 opposition parties, including the AAP, announced their decision to boycott the inauguration on May 28.

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s move to inaugurate the new Parliament building, saying that it should be the President as she “occupies the number one position in the warrant of precedence”.

Expressing his disapproval in a series of tweets, AAP MP Raghav Chadha said: “Why must the President alone inaugurate the new Parliament?

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1. The President occupies the number one position in the warrant of precedence, followed by the Vice President and the Prime Minister is third.

“2. According to the Constitution, President is the Head of the State;

3. All executive action is taken in the name of the President of India;

4. President is the first citizen of India and a symbol of our nation’s solidarity, unity, and integrity;

5. The Legislature consists of the President and two Houses, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

“6. All executive power is vested in President, who also addresses the Parliament at beginning of the first session of each year;

7. No Bill passed by both the Houses of Parliament can become an Act without the assent of President.

“8. It is the President who appoints the Prime Minister of India;

9. As head of State, President has an elevated position surpassing PM’s, who is only head of executive;

10. President is looked up to by all parties to defend the Constitution that she pledged to protect.”

The Rajya Sabha MP went on to say that “therefore, the position of the President in India’s parliamentary democracy is such that the President alone must inaugurate the new Parliament building”.

Earlier in the day in a joint statement, 19 opposition parties, including the AAP, announced their decision to boycott the inauguration on May 28.