Not feasible for me to attend flag-hoisting in new parl building: Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday expressed his disappointment over the late invitation to the flag hoisting function in the new Parliament building and said that he will not be able to attend the function on Sunday.

Mallikarjun Kharge wrote a letter to Rajya Sabha Secretary General, Pramod Chandra Mody, and said, "Dear P C Mody ji, I am writing this letter with a sense of disappointment that I have received your invite for flag hoisting function tomorrow at New Parliament building only on September 15 quite late in the evening."

Congress President further said that in advance, meetings of the newly constructed CWC were scheduled for September 16 and 17 at Hyderabad.

"Since the programmes had been fixed much in advance. I am presently in Hyderabad to hold the meetings. As I will return to Delhi late night on September 17, it will not feasible for me to attend the function scheduled for tomorrow morning," Mallikarjun Kharge said in his letter.

The Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar will unfurl the national flag at the new Parliament building on September 17, a day before the forthcoming Session of Parliament, 2023.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will also attend the occasion. The event coincides with both the auspicious occasion of Vishwakarma Puja and the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, Ministers of State of Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghawal and V. Muraleedharan with Leaders of Political Parties in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and other dignitaries will be present on the occasion.