Sharad Pawar said the people have a special connection with the old parliament. (File)
Pune:
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that he was not happy to see the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
The statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building.
“I saw the event in the morning. I am happy I didn’t go there. I am worried after seeing whatever happened there. Are we taking the country backwards? Was this event for limited people only?,” said Sharad Pawar on the inauguration of the new Parliament with havan, multi-faith prayers and ‘Sengol’.
He said that whatever happened is the exact reverse of Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s concept of society.
“What is happening there is exactly the reverse of what Pt Nehru who had a concept to make a society based on modern science. It’s the government’s responsibility to invite President and Vice president. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla was present, but Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the head of Rajya Sabha, wasn’t there. Therefore the whole event looks like it was for a limited people …,” he said.
Mr Pawar further added that people have a special connection with the old parliament and nothing was discussed about the new parliament with the opposition.
“We have a special connection with the old parliament and not just being the member of it…Nothing was discussed about this new building with us …it would have been better if everyone was involved in that…,” said Sharad Pawar.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule also termed the inauguration as an “incomplete event”.
“To open a new Parliament building without Opposition makes it an incomplete event. It means there is no democracy in the country,” Ms Sule said in Pune.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the new Parliament building to the nation by unveiling a plaque and installing the ‘Sengol’ in the Lok Sabha chamber.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)