Amid a boycott of the ceremony by 20 opposition parties led by the Indian National Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s new parliament building.
The ceremonies leading up to a formal inauguration in a planned manner began at 7.30 am today, on Sunday.
Ceremony Details for New Parliament Building Inaugural
- PM Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building alongside Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today on Sunday, May 28. The inauguration ceremony was be conducted in two phases.
- According to ANI reports, the morning session started at 7:30 A.M marking the start of the first phase of the ceremony. It involved conducting rituals in a pandal located near the Gandhi statue in the parliament. PM Modi, Om Birla, and other senior ministers were also present at the event.
- After performing rituals and poojas, the attendees received a tour of the new Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers. Priests from Tamil Nadu were brought in to perform rituals for the installation of the ‘Sengol’ in the Lok Sabha chamber. The original jeweller who made the ‘Sengol’ was also present.
- Arrangements were made for a prayer ceremony inside the new building. The first phase concluded at 9.30 am.
- The second phase commenced at noon with the singing of the national anthem in the Lok Sabha chamber, with the presence of Prime Minister Modi and various senior officials.
- Following the national anthem, Deputy Rajya Sabha Chairman Hariwansh read out a message on behalf of Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar. A message from President Droupadi Murmu was also read out.
- Two short videos showcasing the construction process of the new building and highlighting its significance were also played after the messages.
- Slots have been allocated for speeches from the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. However, the status of the latter, Mallikarjun Kharge, is unknown as the Indian National Congress has declared its intention to boycott the ceremony.
- To commemorate the occasion, Prime Minister Modi releases a new Rs 75 coin and stamp, and delivered his speech. Following his speech, the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha delivered a vote of thanks to conclude the ceremony.
Last week, 20 parties, including the main opposition Congress, announced their “collective decision” to boycott the inauguration ceremony. On the other hand, a total of 25 parties including BJP and a number of foreign dignitaries were also present to attend this historic event.
BJP has called the boycott a “disrespect of democracy”, as this New Parliament Building is a sign of New India and is going the pride of every Indian.
The government faced criticism for not asking President Droupadi Murmu, who is the head of state, to open the new building. The decision to hold the event on the birth anniversary of Hindu nationalist ideologue VD Savarkar was also denounced by the opposition parties. Savarkar is considered a divisive figure by the opposition, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) respects him as a hero of the freedom fight of British-ruled India.
The government’s ambitious project to develop the Central Vista complex in the capital city of India, Delhi includes the construction of the new parliament building, replacing colonial-era buildings.
In the new building, the lower house of the parliament, known as the Lok Sabha chamber, is designed in the likeness of India’s national bird, the peacock. The upper house, known as the Rajya Sabha chamber, is designed to resemble India’s national flower, the lotus.
The new four-storey building, built at an estimated cost of 9.7 billion rupees ($117.1 million) has increased seating capacity and is situated in front of the old parliament.
There are plans underway to convert the current parliament building into a museum.
The government stated that the older parliament building was “showing signs of aging, distress, and overutilization,” necessitating the construction of the new parliament.
However, opposition politicians, environmentalists, and civil society groups criticized the construction of the new parliament, citing concerns about its cost and the timing of its construction during the pandemic. They also alleged that the government had not sought input from other lawmakers and the public.
The Congress party also didn’t participate during the foundation stone-laying event of the new parliament in 2020.
Last week, several opposition leaders voiced their criticism of the government’s announcement that Mr. Modi, along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, would formally inaugurate the building.
The Indian Express newspaper argued in an editorial that “both sides need to find a way out of the separate corners they have backed themselves into. They must do so because history will not forgive them if they won’t. They must do so for the sake of the people of India and for the people’s parliament.”