Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated India’s new Parliament building, a modern complex that is part of his Hindu nationalist government’s grand plan to transform British colonial-era architecture in the nation’s capital.
The inauguration and ongoing redevelopment of the heart of New Delhi based on Indian culture, traditions and symbols comes a year ahead of parliamentary elections in which Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will showcase its strong Hindu nationalist credentials and its tenure in office. seek a third term in the last decade.
Early in the morning, Modi held traditional prayers outside the complex in a ceremony that was also attended by top government ministers. He then lit the traditional lamp inside the parliament.
The event was boycotted by 20 opposition parties, who said Modi broke protocol by opening a new complex and garnering attention when the president, the country’s highest official, should have done so.
“Opening a new parliament building without opposition does not mean that there is democracy in the country. It is an incomplete event,” opposition leader Supriya Sule .
The Modi government rejected the opposition’s argument, saying that no protocol had been breached and that the prime minister respected the country’s constitutional head.
The new Parliament complex is the centerpiece of a $2.4 billion project that aims to eclipse the importance of colonial-era buildings in the center of the capital and pave the way for modern buildings with a distinct Indian identity.
“Our new parliament is truly a beacon of our democracy. It reflects the nation’s rich heritage and vibrant aspirations for the future,” Modi said on Twitter late Saturday.
The triangular-shaped Parliament complex stands directly opposite the old circular historic building built by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1927, two decades before India’s independence.
The old parliament will be turned into a museum. In addition to modern technology, the new parliament has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, almost 500 more than in the old building, and at least three times as much space for new lawmakers in the world’s most populous country.
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