The inauguration of the new Parliament building is a national event and not a programme of a political party, said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday amid the decision by 20 opposition parties to boycott the function.

"We are not against the inauguration of the new (Parliament) building. We want to know why the President of India has not been invited. Where is the Vice-President, who is the chairman of the Rajya Sabha? Speaker Om Birla's name figures in the invitation list," Raut was qouted as saying by news agency PTI.