Insisting that political rifts could wait a day, actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Saturday appealed to political parties to reconsider their boycott and make the inauguration of the new parliament an occasion of national unity.
India’s new home should be for all family members to stay in, he said. He said he believes in participatory democracy and therefore calls on all opposition parties that have decided to boycott the event to reconsider.
“Any disagreements you may have about this event can be aired in public forums as well as on the floors of the new parliament buildings,” Haasan urged.
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Reminding political parties to remember that “there is more that unites us than divides us,” Haasan said in his statement that the entire country was looking forward to the event. “The eyes of the world are on us. Let’s make the inauguration of the new parliament an occasion of national unity, our political differences can wait for a day,” said Haasan, president of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM).
The veteran actor contested unsuccessfully against BJP Mahila Morcha national president Vanathi Srinivasan in the Coimbatore South constituency in the 2021 Assembly elections.
The inauguration of the new parliament on May 28 is a moment of celebration for the entire country and it touched him with immense pride. “I congratulate the Government of India on this historic achievement. In the national interest, I choose to celebrate the inauguration of the new Parliament with you, maintaining my disagreement over not inviting the Honorable President of India and not involving the opposition parties in planning the inauguration,” he said.
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“But this moment of national pride has become politically divided. “I ask my prime minister one simple question; “Please tell the country why the President of India should not attend the inauguration of our new Parliament?” I see no reason why the President of India as head of state should not be a part of this historic occasion,” he asked.
Laws adopted by the Assembly become the law of the land only when the president gives his consent. The President has the authority to convene or postpone the sessions of the Parliament and is an integral part of the functioning of the Parliament.
“I advise the Prime Minister to make a conciliatory gesture and invite the Honorable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murma. The new Parliament is no ordinary building. It will be the home of Indian democracy since time immemorial. I call on the Prime Minister to correct this omission which will go down in history as a grave mistake, and if corrected, it will become a turning point in political leadership,” he said.
