India's new parliament is set to be inaugurated this weekend amid a political row as 19 opposition parties say they will boycott the ceremony, reports BBC.
Opposition leaders say India's president, the highest constitutional authority, should open the building.
Leaders of the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have accused the opposition of "playing political games".
On Wednesday, 19 parties - including the main opposition Congress - issued a statement announcing their "collective decision" to boycott the inauguration ceremony.
They said that while the opening was "a momentous occasion", Mr Modi's "decision to inaugurate the building by himself" was "a grave insult [and] a "direct assault" on India's democracy.
The statement also mentioned that opposition MPs had been "disqualified, suspended and muted" while "controversial legislations" were passed with little debate.
"When the soul of democracy has been sucked out from the parliament, we find no value in a new building," the parties added.
Home Minister Amit Shah said that all political parties had been invited for the ceremony, and asked the opposition to not politicise the event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the building on Sunday.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
