First Citizen of India reduced to tokenism under Modi govt: Kharge

The Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India whose highest Constitutional authority is the President, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said objecting to the fact that both the President and the former President are not among the list of invitees to the Parliament building inauguration program.

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday charged the Modi government of disrespecting the authority of the President by not inviting President Draupadi Murmu and former president Ramnath Kovind for the inauguration of the new Parliament building. In a series of tweets, Kharge accused the BJP of reducing the office of the President to mere tokenism.

"She is the First Citizen of India. Inauguration of the new Parliament building by her will symbolise government's commitment to democratic values and Constitutional propriety," Kharge said on Twitter reminding the saffron dispensation that the Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India whose highest Constitutional authority is the President.

• The Modi Govt has repeatedly disrespected propriety.
  
  The Office of the President of India is reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS Government.
  
  4/4

  — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 22, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  The Modi Govt has repeatedly disrespected propriety.
  
  The Office of the President of India is reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS Government.
  
  4/4

  — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 22, 2023

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  The Modi Govt has repeatedly disrespected propriety.
  
  The Office of the President of India is reduced to tokenism under the BJP-RSS Government.
  
  4/4

  — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 22, 2023

Thereby, President Murmu alone represents the government, opposition, and every citizen of the country. The Congress chief said that the Modi government has appointed the first tribal President of India in a bid to attract votes from the Dalit and tribal community.

Kharge charged that the Modi Government has ensured election of the President of India from the Dalit and tribal communities only for electoral reasons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the new Parliament building on May 28. While former president Ram Nath Kovind was not invited for the new Parliament foundation laying ceremony, President Droupadi Murmu is not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building, Kharge said.

Several opposition leaders have criticised the Central Vista or the new Parliament building project as the Prime Minister's 'vanity'. Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet on Sunday also said that the president should be inaugurating the new Parliament House building rather than the prime minister.