New Parliament Building inauguration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building amid a boycott by several Opposition parties on Sunday (May 28). PM Modi installed the scared 'Sengol' in the Lok Sabha chamber, right next to the Speaker's chair, after performing puja. The new parliament building can comfortably seat 888 members in the Lok Sabha chamber and 300 in the Rajya Sabha chamber. For a joint sitting of both houses, 1,280 MPs can be accommodated in the Lok Sabha chamber. The triangular-shaped four-storey building has a built-up area of 64,500 square metres. It has three main gates - Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar and Karma Dwar - and separate entrances for VIPs, MPs and visitors.
Here are 10 points on new parliament building inauguration:
- Dressed in traditional attire, PM Modi reached the new parliament building at 7.30 am. Soon PM Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla performed "Ganapati Homam" to invoke Gods to bless the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
- After the puja ended, the Prime Minister prostrated before the historic sceptre 'sengol'. The Adheenam seers handed over the 'sengol' to the Prime Minister. Then, the PM carried the "Sengol" in a procession amid tunes of "nadaswaram" and chanting of Vedic mantras to the new Parliament building and installed it in a special enclosure on the right side of the Speaker's chair in the Lok Sabha chamber.
- PM Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building and then felicitated a group of construction workers involved in the making of the grand new parliament. Then, multi-faith prayers were held at the inauguration of the new Parliament building
- Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Singh gave a welcome speech and said that compared to the old Parliament, the new building has a provision to accommodate way more members. "Our Parliament will take many decisions for our golden future," he said.
- A short film on the features of the new Parliament was played at the inaugural event. The film highlights the various facets of the new building, saying that the new Lok Sabha is double the size of the old lower house.
- Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh read Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's message in the Parliament. VP Dhankhar said that the new Parliament will contribute in building political consensus and will be a symbol of freedom from the mindset of slavery.
- President Droupadi Murmu's message was also read in the new Parliament. President Murmu welcomes the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'I am very happy that PM Modi is inaugurating the new Parliament', said President.
- Then, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla addresses delegates in the new Parliament. He urged fellow parliamentarians to set new standards of discourse in the new Parliament building.
- Later, at the Lok Sabha chamber where dignitaries were present, PM Modi released a special commemorative postage stamp, Rs 75 coin on the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
- At the end of the event, PM Modi addresses delegates in the new Parliament. He said the new Parliament isn't just a building, it is the symbol of the aspiration of the 140 crore people of India. “It gives a message to the world about India's determination,” he said.
