Former PM HD Deve Gowda to attend opening ceremony of new Parliament building

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 25 : Amid a boycott call by the opposition parties, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Thursday said that he will attend the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building on May 28.
"I am attending the inauguration of the new building of Parliament. It is the property of the country," Deve Gowda said.
The Janata Dal (Secular) leader, who had come to participate in the party's introspection meeting said that it is not anyone's personal program but of the whole country.
"That magnificent building is built with taxpayers' money. It belongs to the country. It is not the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party or RSS. As a former Prime Minister and a citizen of the country, I will attend the opening ceremony of the new Parliament building," he added.
Deve Gowda said that he does not want to drag politics into the country's matters.
"I have many reasons to oppose BJP politically. I do not like to bring politics in the matter of opening the Parliament House. I have been elected to both houses of Parliament. I have performed duty there in the constitutional framework and am still a member. I have worked to protect the values of the Constitution," he added.
Notably, the Centre has received a confirmed list of 25 political parties, including some which are not a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), that will participate in the inauguration ceremony of new Parliament building on May 28.
Apart from the BJP, several parties in the NDA including AIADMK, Apna Dal, the Republican Party of India, the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, NPP, and NPF have confirmed their attendance for the function on Sunday.
Several neutral parties, including Biju Janata Dal, TDP, and YSRCP will be present for the inauguration.
Amongst the opposition parties, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samajwadi Party and JDS will attend the function on Sunday.
This comes after 19 opposition parties including Congress put out a joint statement announcing a boycott of the Parliament building inauguration.
On Sunday, it is known through reliable sources that an elaborate ceremony will take place in the morning on May 28, which includes pujas performed by Vedic ritual way starting at 7:30 am these pujas will go on till close to 9 AM, after which the inauguration function is expected to begin at around noon.
For the pujas in the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha, Speaker, Om Birla, Deputy Chairman, Hariwansh and a couple of top officials are expected to be present
Special priests will be coming down from across the country and performing the pujas, sources said.
At 11:30 am all the invitees including members of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha, chairman and other distinguished guests are expected to be seated in the Lok Sabha chamber in the new building.
The function is expected to begin at about 12 pm and is expected to be over by around 1:30 pm.
During the function, the secret Sengol will be installed in the Central Hall of Parliament in the new building, which is essentially the Lok Sabha chamber. A speech will be delivered by Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Om Birla and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make the closing speech.
Invitations for the inauguration of the new parliament, building slated to take place on May 28 have been sent both physically as well as through e-invitation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who will dedicate to the nation the new Parliament building on May 28, are also likely to deliver a speech after the inauguration ceremony, sources said.
The sources on condition of anonymity tell ANI that apart from sitting members of Parliament of both houses invitations have been sent to Former Lok Sabha Speakers and former Rajya Sabha Chairman. All chief ministers have also been invited to attend the inauguration ceremony.
invitations have also been sent to Secretaries of all ministries of the government of India.
The chief architect of the new parliament building, Bimal Patel & reputed industrialist Ratan Tata has also been invited to the inauguration of the new building.
President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar are likely to release congratulatory messages on the occasion of the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28, sources said.
An invitation has also been sent to certain prominent personalities, including film stars and sports persons.
The new Parliament building symbolises the spirit of self-reliant India (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) and will be dedicated by PM Modi to the nation on May 28.
The present building of the Parliament was completed in 1927, which is now going to be almost 100 years old. The lack of space was being experienced in this building as per the present requirements. In both Houses, there was also a lack of convenient arrangements for the sitting of the MPs which was affecting the efficiency of the work of the Members.
Considering the above, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha passed resolutions urging the government to construct a new building for the Parliament. Consequently, on 10 December 2020, the foundation stone of the new building of Parliament was laid by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The newly constructed Parliament building has been built in record time with quality construction.
Now the newly constructed building of Parliament, which will work to further enrich India's glorious democratic traditions and constitutional values, is also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities which will help the Members to perform their functions in a better way.
The new Parliament building will enable 888 members to sit in the Lok Sabha.
In the present building of the Parliament, there is a provision for the sitting of 543 Members in the Lok Sabha while 250 in the Rajya Sabha. Keeping in view the future requirements, arrangements have been made for a meeting of 888 members in the Lok Sabha while 384 members in the Rajya Sabha in the newly constructed building of the Parliament. The joint session of both Houses will be held in the Lok Sabha Chamber.