Put aside political differences, make new Parliament inauguration an occasion of national unity: Kamal Haasan

Chennai: Insisting that political disagreements could wait for 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 needs all its family members to reside in it, he said. He said he believed in participatory democracy and hence call upon all opposition parties who have chosen to boycott the event to reconsider it.

"Any disagreements you may have over the event can be raised in public forums as well as on the floor of the houses of the new Parliament," Haasan urged.

Reminding political parties to remember that "there is more that unites us than divides us," Haasan said in a statement here that the entire country is looking forward to this event.

"The eyes of the world are upon us. Let’s make the inauguration of a new Parliament an occasion of national unity, our political disagreements can wait for a day," Haasan, president of the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), said.

The veteran actor had unsuccessfully contested against BJP Mahila Morcha national president Vanathi Srinivasan in 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 moved him with immense pride.

"I congratulate the Government of India for this historic achievement. In national interest, I choose to celebrate the inauguration of the new Parliament with you, while maintaining my dissent over not inviting the Hon. President of India and for not involving opposition parties in the planning of the inauguration," he said.

"But this moment of national pride has become politically divisive. "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 the State should not be part of this historic occasion," he asked.

Bills passed by Parliament become law of the land only when the President gave the assent. The President has the power to convene or adjourn sessions of Parliament and is integral to the functioning of Parliament.

"I advise the Prime Minister to make the conciliatory gesture and invite Hon. President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu. The new Parliament is no mere ordinary building. It will be the home of Indian democracy for time immemorial. I call upon the Prime Minister to rectify this oversight, which will go down in history as a grave error, and if rectified will become a milestone in political leadership," he claimed.