As India observes the 75th anniversary of its Constitution on November 26, 2024, a heated debate erupted between the Modi government and the opposition INDIA bloc over who would be allowed to speak during the joint parliamentary session. The event, which will be addressed by President Droupadi Murmu, is being held to commemorate the adoption of India’s Constitution.
Leaders from the INDIA bloc wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, requesting that the Leaders of Opposition (LoPs) in both Houses of Parliament be given the opportunity to speak at this significant event. In their letter, they emphasized that such a gesture would be in line with the traditions of parliamentary democracy and would honor the historic nature of the occasion.
However, the government responded quickly, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accusing some opposition parties of making unfounded claims about the event’s arrangements. Rijiju clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not be speaking at the event. Instead, the speeches would be delivered by the Speaker, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and President Murmu.
Further, Rijiju assured that seating arrangements for the Leaders of Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had been made on the dais. He expressed disappointment at the opposition’s reaction without fully understanding the event’s structure.
The Constitution Day event, also known as Samvidhan Divas, marks the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. It officially came into effect on January 26, 1950, when India became a republic.
