"Will attend": YSRCP MP over new Parliament building inauguration

New Delhi [India], May 25 (ANI): Amid the opposition call for a boycott of the inauguration ceremony of the newly built Parliament, K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju, Lok Sabha MP and YSRCP leader on Thursday said that he will attend the event scheduled for May 28.
Reacting to the opposition's move of boycotting the inauguration, Raju said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid down the foundation stone for the Parliament, no one had registered their protest then.
"I will be attending the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building. I have received the invitation for it as well. Some of the political parties are boycotting it, they say that the President should have inaugurated it. So me and my party's stand is that when its foundation stone was laid by the PM, at that time no one protested and now everyone is protesting at the time of inauguration. PM is the leader of the House, so there is nothing wrong about PM inaugurating the parliament," said Kanumuru Raghu.
Kanumuru Raghu further said that not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to the ceremony doesn't mean she is getting disrespected as every Indian citizen respects her.
"It would have been better if President Droupadi Murmu had attended this program but boycotting it is not a good thing to be done," he added.
Kanumuru Raghu urged opposition leaders to join the inauguration ceremony as the Parliament belongs to everyone.
"You must express your disagreement, but you should participate in it, this Parliament House belongs to everyone, being a member of Parliament, please join it and then express your feelings to the public," he said.
On the other hand, amid the boycott call by the opposition, 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, NPF, Biju Janata Dal, TDP, and YSRCP will be attending the function on Sunday.
The 21 opposition parties who will now boycott the inauguration are - Congress, AIUDF, DMK, Aam Aadmi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, TMC, Janta Dal (United), Nationalist Congress Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), RJD, Indian Union Muslim League, National Conference, Communist Party of India, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Kerala Congress (Mani), Vidhuthalai Chirunthaigal Katchi, Rashtriya Lok Dal, Revolutionary, Socialist Party and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and AIMIM.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Parliament building on May 28. (ANI)