In a show of unity, 19 opposition parties, including the Congress, Left and TMC, on Wednesday announced their decision to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying they find no value in a new building when the soul of democracy has been sucked out.

Noting that the inauguration of the Parliament building is a momentous occasion, the opposition parties in a joint statement said, “Despite our belief that the government is threatening democracy, and our disapproval of the autocratic manner in which the new Parliament was built, we were open to sinking our differences and marking this occasion”.