Mumbai, May 26 : The Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray, has strongly criticized the BJP government at the Centre for not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to the upcoming inauguration of the new Parliament building. In an editorial published in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Sena (UBT) alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers the new complex as his personal “estate” because he believes it was solely created by him.
The party also took a swipe at the BJP, questioning whether senior party leader L.K. Advani has been invited to the May 28 event. Twenty opposition parties, including the Congress and the Sena (UBT), have announced their boycott of the inauguration, arguing that the President should be the one to perform the honors.
In the editorial, the Sena (UBT) emphasized that the President is not only the head of the country but also the first citizen of India, and therefore, her position should not be disrespected. It criticized Modi’s view that the new Parliament building belongs to him, asserting that it actually belongs to the nation and not any political party.
The party further stated that it was ironic for BJP leaders to speak about democracy while displaying such arrogance. It also questioned the absence of an invitation to Advani, who played a pivotal role in the BJP’s success.
Highlighting the importance of the Leader of Opposition, the Sena (UBT) suggested that it would have been more dignified to include the name of the LoP in the invitation, as the position holds equal status to that of the Prime Minister.
The party criticized the government’s message, stating that attending their “private party” would result in insult. It referred to Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, popularly known as “Mindhe-Fadnavis,” who enjoy attending such events, and raised doubts about whether there would be space for Advani.
The Sena (UBT) concluded by emphasizing that if the President of India has not been invited, the presence or absence of other invitees becomes irrelevant.
