nTwenty-two years after acclaimed British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed the Parliament House, an iconic heritage structure in the heart of Delhi, a new, more spacious construction has come up on vacant land.
But a few days before its opening, there is an uproar regarding its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Twenty opposition parties have jointly issued a statement announcing that they plan to boycott the inauguration, accusing the Modi government of “sidelining” President Draupadi Murmu, which they say is a “serious insult”. and a direct attack on democracy”.
In recent history, rarely has an issue managed to unite the opposition the way Modi has with the upcoming inauguration of the new Parliament building. The Congress and the Trinamool Congress seem to have put aside their differences for the time being to jointly raise the objections. Even the CPM seems to be on the same page with Mamata’s Trinamool. And that’s why the controversy surrounding the new Parliament House is ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the Week.
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Priority or Politics?
Opposition parties argue that the new parliament should be inaugurated by the head of state, who is number one in the warrant of precedence. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar is in second place and PM Modi is in third place.
But there are a handful of other opposition parties that have supported the inauguration of the new parliament by Modi. These include Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Janata Dal (Secular), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Apart from their respective political compulsions, it is also indicative of a growing realization that opposing Modi on the issue of a national symbol may not work for them.
The grand opening is timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of India’s independence. But what would have been a historic moment for the country is now mired in controversy.
The Modi government has often been accused of using high offices and constitutional positions to advance its politics. With the support of the BJP, Draupadi Murmu became the first woman tribal leader to reach the highest post in the country. Many saw the party’s move to nominate him to appease Dalits and tribals. Now when Modi is going to inaugurate the new Parliament House, questions are being raised on the intention of the party.
Opposition can create controversy regarding the inauguration of Modi’s new Parliament House. But this is not a one time affair. Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that the Parliament Annexe was inaugurated by PM Indira Gandhi in 1975 and the foundation stone of the Parliament Library was laid by PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1987. And both the chances were passed without much thought.
If they remember the day of 24 October 1975, the day Mrs. Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament Annexe, they should feel better! Or on August 15, 1987, when Rajiv Gandhi laid the foundation stone of the Parliament Library!
– Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 23, 2023
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why new parliament
The construction of the Old Parliament began in 1921 and was commissioned in 1927. Council houseThe building housed the Imperial Legislative Council.
Nearly 100 years old, the existing Parliament building was showing signs of distress and over-use over the years, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed Rajya Sabha on 4 March 2020.
Puri had said that parliamentary activities and the number of people working inside the Parliament House have increased manifold. as well, with restructuring The number of constituencies, the number of Lok Sabha seats are likely to increase and then the building, which is already suffering from space crunch, will find it difficult to accommodate the increased numbers.
The lack of space in the existing building is such that during joint sessions of Parliament, temporary seats are extended to accommodate legislators and staff inside the House. The existing Parliament is also unsafe from fire as it has not been designed as per the modern fire norms.
Two former Lok Sabha Speakers – Meira Kumar and Sumitra Mahajan – and the current Speaker Om Birla urged the government to construct a new Parliament instead of renovating the existing one.
The new Parliament is part of the Modi government’s ambitious project to redevelop the Central Vista. The new building will have a Lok Sabha with a capacity of 900-1,000 people, a Rajya Sabha in place of the Central Hall in the existing Parliament, and a Common Lounge, which will be an informal meeting place for parliamentarians, public figures and journalists.
It will be located opposite the existing one in the same complex. Gujarat-based architect Bimal Patel’s firm HCP Designs won the bid to design the new parliament.
The existing Parliament will be preserved as a “symbol of the democratic spirit of India” and converted into a museum. So will other heritage buildings such as the North and South Blocks. Both of these will be converted into museums – one showcasing India before 1857 and the other India after 1857.
The estimated cost of the new parliament is around Rs 922 crore. The government had set a deadline of 2022 to complete it, but the work got delayed due to the Covid pandemic.
The Modi government has been facing constant criticism ever since it floated the idea of building a new parliament building. Its inauguration is going to be no different – politics never stops, not even for national symbols.
(Editing by Anurag Choubey)