'Monarchic' methods of Oppn's dynastic leadership at loggerheads with constitutional values: Nadda

BJP president J P Nadda on Friday lashed out at opposition parties for deciding to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building, saying what connects them is their dynastic leadership whose ''monarchic'' methods are at loggerheads with the principles of the Constitution.

The parties boycotting the inauguration lack any commitment to democracy because their sole aim is to perpetuate a select group of dynasties, he tweeted, adding such an approach is an ''insult'' to the makers of the Constitution.

These parties must introspect, he said.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also attacked the Congress.

Slamming Congress senior leader Jairam Ramesh, Joshi said,''Congress party has a habit of denigrating 'Bharatya' value and culture. Today when the world is taking note of Bharat's rich traditions, the Congress party is trying to find new ways to insult Bharat and its heritage. The Congress party still seems to be in a colonial hangover.'' Ramesh had said there is no documented evidence of the likes of C Rajagopalachari and Jawaharlal Nehru describing the 'Sengol' as a symbol of the transfer of power by the British to India.

The 'Sengol', a ceremonial sceptre dating back to the ancient Tamil kingdom, will be installed close to the Chair of the Lok Sabha speaker after the new Parliament building is inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, an event 20 Opposition parties, including the Congress, are boycotting.

Prasad said the opposition feels impelled to boycott anything associated with Modi.

''We all know how much respect they gave to President Droupadi Murmu. Did they attend the foundation stone ceremony of the new Parliament building? Did they pay tribute to the Sardar Patel statue in Gujarat? No. They have to oppose it because Modi is doing it.'' Nadda in his comments said,''these dynastic parties, particularly the Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, are unable to digest the simple fact that the people of India have placed their faith in a man hailing from a humble background''.

Elitist mindsets of dynasts are preventing them from logical thinking, he said.

''What connects most parties which are boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building? The answer is simple- they are dynasty-run political parties, whose monarchic methods are at loggerheads with the principles of republicanism and democracy in our Constitution,'' he said.

The BJP president claimed that these parties will be punished yet again by people for their partisan politics as voters are seeing how these parties are putting politics above the nation.

As many as 20 opposition parties including the Congress have announced that they will boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Modi. On the other hand, 25 parties have said they will participate in the inauguration and these include seven non-NDA parties.