The Indian Parliament moved into a swanky new complex on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing lawmakers from both Houses. Lawmakers convened in the newly inaugurated structure in the afternoon amid a special five-day Parliament Session. Addressing the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Modi also made an impassioned plea for them to unanimously approve the women’s reservation bill – Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
What did PM Modi say during address in old Parliament building?
“It is a very emotional moment to bid farewell to the Old Parliament building. He reflected on the various moods that the House has witnessed in all these years and said that these memories are the preserved heritage of all the members of the house,” the PM told the Lok Sabha on Monday.
He dubbed it a “focal point of public trust” and recalled the emotional moment when he first entered the Parliament as an MP in 2014. He recounted how he had bowed down to honour the temple of democracy and could have never imagined that a child belonging to a poor family would be able to enter the Parliament.
He also mentioned that the building served as the Imperial Legislative Council before India’s independence and was recognised as the Parliament of India post-independence. He pointed out that even though the decision to construct this building was made by foreign rulers, it was the hard work, dedication and money spent by Indians that went towards its development.
He recalled India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic “tryst with destiny” speech for continuing to inspire everyone and another predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s “governments may come and go” remark.
What did PM Modi say during address in new Parliament building?
Modi called on MPs to forget all past bitterness and start a new chapter during his address on Tuesday. Following the shift, he asserted that whatever lawmakers did in the new complex should serve as an inspiration for every citizen of the country.
The prime minister also remembered ‘shramjeevis’ (labourers) who were part of the construction of the new building.
Noting that the Rajya Sabha is considered the Upper House of Parliament, he underlined the intentions of the makers of the Constitution that the House become a centre for serious intellectual discussions rising above the ebb and flow of political discourse while giving a direction to the nation. He described today’s occasion as historic and memorable.
Modi’s suggestion to name the old Parliament building as ‘Samvidhan Sadan’ was accepted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who made an official announcement to the effect.
(With inputs from agencies)
