New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone of the New Parliament Building today. On Monday December 7, the Supreme Court had allowed the foundation stone-laying ceremony on condition that “no construction should be done”.
The new Parliament Building Complex will be triangular in shape and will be spread over 64,500 square metre. It will be much bigger than the existing Parliament House and will accommodate 1,224 Members of Parliament.
There is much protest and in Supreme Court, a bunch of 10 petitions challenge the Central Vista projectwhich envisages redevelopment of the entire historical boulevard covering an area of approximately 3.5 km from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, and further to the National Stadium. The new Parliament building will be the pivot of the Central Vista project design.
“It is where living history breathes from every inch of this cherished stretch of land, where the Republic Day parade and Beating Retreat are held every year. Central Vista is an essential ingredient of our sovereignty and pride, and also where recreational spaces are available for the enjoyment by the citizens,” the petitioners have contended.
On Monday, the apex court, while allowing the foundation stone laying ceremony, had expressed displeasure with the Centre, and was particularly unhappy over a press release by the government that said the construction was to begin, and that translocation of trees was underway despite the court having reserved order on November 5 on the matter.
“We thought we are dealing with a prudent litigant and deference will be shown…We have shown deference to you and expected that you will act in a prudent manner. The same deference should be shown to the Court and there should be no demolition or construction,” Justice Khanwilkar had told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta.
The government has defended its multi-crore Central Vista plan. It has claimed that the heritage structures will remain untouched while constructing the new Parliament, Central Secretariat and various Ministries. “The Parliament building needs rest,” Modi said today. He added that the new building was an intrinsic part of the vision of ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ and would be a landmark opportunity to build a peoples’ Parliament for the first time after independence, one which will match the needs and aspirations of ‘New India’ in the 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.
Modi termed today’s ceremony as a milestone in India’s democratic history, filled with the idea of Indianness. He added that the start of the construction of Parliament House of India was “one of the most important stages of our democratic traditions”. He gave a call to the people of India, to build this new building of the Parliament together. He said it can’t be more beautiful or more pure than the new building of our Parliament witnessing when India celebrates 75 years of its independence.
– globalbihari bureau
