Irani accuses Congress of not being proud about tricolour after Kharge skips flag hoisting at new Parliament
- Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar hoisted the national flag at the new Parliament building on Sunday, a day before the special session of the Parliament
After Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge skipped flag hoisting ceremony at the new Parliament on Sunday, Union minister Smriti Irani has accused the party of not being proud about the national flag.
“Today is an auspicious day. The nation's Parliament is the pride of the country. The national flag which you talk about hoisting is the flag for which many people and our soldiers laid their lives. As a citizen, if we get the opportunity to hoist our national flag at the Parliament, it will be a matter of pride for us. The answer to why the Congress party does not experience that pride is with the Gandhi family, not me,” Irani said.
The Congress president had on Saturday informed Rajya Sabha general secretary PC Mody through a letter that he would not be able to attend the flag hoisting ceremony as he would be in Hyderabad on September 16 and 17 for the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
However, Congress party’s other leaders, including Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, attended the flag hoisting ceremony at the new Parliament.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar hoisted the national flag at the new Parliament building on Sunday, a day before the special session of the Parliament.
The function was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union minister of parliamentary affairs Pralhad Joshi, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh, ministers of state of parliamentary affairs Arjun Ram Meghawal and V Muraleedharan, and leaders of political parties in both Houses, among others.
Aiming a sharp retort at those questioning the absence of Kharge and Rahul Gandhi from the flag hoisting ceremony, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “Is it not sufficient that I am here? If I am not useful here, tell me and I will leave.” He also said that people should concentrate on those who are present at the venue.
Earlier, the Congress and other opposition parties had also boycotted the inauguration of the new Parliament building. They had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who inaugurated it on May 28, of “insulting” the President – the head of state – by inaugurating himself.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsPoliticsNewsIrani accuses Congress of not being proud about tricolour after Kharge skips flag hoisting at new Parliament
First Published:17 Sep 2023, 08:24 PM IST
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