PM inaugurates new Parliament building, installs sacred ‘Sengol’ in LS
Congress calls Modi 'self-glorifying authoritarian PM'
New Delhi, May 28 (UNI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the new Parliament building which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
The inauguration of the new Parliament began with the installation of the sacred ‘Sengol’, a sceptre from Tamil Nadu, in the Lok Sabha chamber, right next to the Speaker’s chair, after performing puja.
Modi was handed over the historic ‘Sengol’ by Adheenams before its installation. The Sengol was received by India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the transfer of power from the British. The scepter was previously placed in a museum in Allahabad.
Earlier, the ceremony began with a traditional ‘pooja’ with Vedic rituals which will continue for an hour.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was also present along with PM Modi during the pooja. After the pooja, Modi unveiled the plaque of the new building, accompanied by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Adheenam seers.
During the inauguration of the new Parliament building, prayers from all religions (Jain, Judaism, Hindu, Islam, Sikh) were recited which was attended by the Cabinet ministers.
The Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack at Modi after the latter inaugurated the new Parliament building and called him “self-glorifying authoritarian PM”.
Over a dozen of political parties including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, have ‘boycotted’ the inauguration of the new Parliament building, accusing the PM of “sidelining” President Droupadi Murmu.
“A self-glorifying authoritarian PM with utter ‘disdain’ for Parliamentary procedures, who rarely attends Parliament or engages in it, inaugurates the new Parliament building,” Congress general secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh wrote in a tweet, attacking Modi.
The Congress MP added, “The President, the first Adivasi to become President is not allowed to fulfil her Constitutional duties and inaugurate the New Parliament building in 2023.”
