• Narendra Modi installs historic ‘Sengol’ near Lok Sabha Speaker’s Chair
• 19 Opposition parties including Congress stay away from inauguration

New Delhi: Amidst the boycott of 19 Opposition parties including Congress for completely sidelining President of India Droupadi Murmu for the inauguration of new Parliament building, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the swanky new building, built on an area of 64,500 square metres of area at a cost of Rs. 970 crore, near the Old Parliament building here this morning.

As the inauguration coincided with the 140th birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a revered Hindutva icon by BJP and right-wing outfits, it provided enough gristle for further heating up the controversy, with the Opposition parties issuing a joint statement saying that “there was no value in a new building when the ‘soul of democracy has been sucked out from the Parliament.”

The new four-storey building houses both the chambers of India’s federal bi-cameral Legislature — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. It comes up close to a 100 years after the construction of old Parliament House  which began in 1921 and concluded six years later, in 1927 and is estimated to have cost around Rs. 83 lakh. The new Parliament building is designed by Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management, a consultant for Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for the larger Central Vista redevelopment project, and constructed by Tata Projects Ltd. The new Parliament building is a part of the reconstruction of Central Vista, the Central Administrative Area at Raisina Hill.

The preparations for the inauguration of new Parliament building began at 7.30 am, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, both in traditional attires, taking part in a puja organised as part of the inauguration ceremony.

Priests Sita Rama Sharma, Sri Rama Sharma and Lakshmeesh Tantri from Sringeri Mutt and Naragaja Adiga and Rishyasringa Bhatt from Sringeri Mutt, Delhi performed ‘Vaastu homam’ and ‘Vaastu puja’ prior to the inauguration.

‘Sengol’ installed

 Following the rituals, PM Modi received the historic ‘Sengol’ (Sceptre) from a battery of 21 Adheenams (religious leaders) who blessed the country’s premier for the auspicious moment.

It was the same ‘Sengol’ that was accepted by first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru at his residence on the night of August 14, 1947 in the presence of several leaders.

Modi, led by Adheenams, carried the historic ‘Sengol’ into the Lok Sabha chamber and installed it near Lok Sabha Speaker’s chair in new Parliament building amid chanting of Vedic hymns by Adheenams. Later Modi lit the lamp, a Hindu tradition followed till date to mark any auspicious start.

Plaques unveiled

A row of three plaques were unveiled  to mark the inauguration of the new Parliament building, that also marks the new beginning in Indian democracy, with the old Parliament building being turned into a museum.

During the historic inauguration of the new Parliament building, prayers from all religions (Jain, Judaism, Hindu, Islam, Sikh) were recited. The programme was attended by Cabinet Ministers.

The interior of the new Parliament building has three National symbols — the lotus, the peacock and the banyan tree — as its themes. Earlier, as a token of gesture, PM Modi felicitated construction workers with shawl and memento.

Foundation stone laid on Dec. 10, 2020

As the previous and old building was turning inconvenient due to lack of space, a resolution had been passed in both the upper and lower houses of Parliament to construct the new building. Subsequently, the foundation stone for the new Parliament building was laid by PM Modi on Dec. 10, 2020 and the works began on Jan. 15, 2021. It has been built in record time with quality construction, as per the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

The law-makers of the country that boasts of world’s largest democracy will be getting a new seat with the inauguration of the new Parliament building in a triangular shape. The old Parliament building — Sansad Bhavan — was built in a circular-shape.

The shape and the design might be the most visible form of difference between the two buildings, but it is not the only thing that sets the two structures apart.

The new Parliament building has been designed keeping in mind the future requirements, with a seating capacity for 888 members in the Lok Sabha and 384 members in Rajya Sabha while the current and old Parliament building can accommodate 550 members in Lok Sabha and 250 members in Rajya Sabha.

As a precautionary measure, security was tightened near Ghazipur border area as Khap Panchayat leaders and farmers had announced to join protesting wrestlers’ march to the new Parliament House.

All the entry and exit gates of Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan Metro Stations were closed for passengers, during the opening ceremony of the new Parliament building.