New Delhi, Nov 26;;;;;;;; Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday said he felt hurt when Opposition leaders boycotted the Constitution Day function held in the Central Hall of Parliament.

“I am hurt that the Opposition boycotted an event of Parliament. It was not a political event,” the Speaker told the media in a interaction after the Constitution Day function.

He said the information reached him through the media, and said the Opposition leaders should have talked to him, before taking any decision in this regard.

“I got to know from media (about the boycott). Opposition leaders could have talked to me, if there were any issues they had they should have discussed it with me,” he said.

He also said there was arrangement for Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to sit on the dais.

The Speaker said this was also conveyed to the Opposition leaders by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

However, when the Opposition announced their decision to boycott, the chairs were subsequently removed.

Opposition parties boycotted the Constitution Day function held in the Central Hall on Friday.

The event saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi attack ‘dynastic parties’.

UNI