President’s absence at Parliament building inauguration will amount to ‘devaluing ethos of Republic’: Sibal

Amid the raging row over the inauguration of the new Parliament building, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday said the absence of the president in the ceremonial event would amount to “devaluing the ethos of our Republic”.

Sibal’s attack on the government comes a day after as many as 20 opposition parties announced their decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a tweet, Sibal said, “Inauguration of the new Parliament building. Parliament symbolises our Republic. The President is the head of the Republic. The absence of the President in this ceremonial event amounts to devaluing the ethos of our Republic. Does the government care!” Sibal, who was a Union minister during UPA 1 and 2, had quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party’s support. Sibal recently floated a non-electoral platform ‘Insaaf’ aimed at fighting injustice.