Modi urges MPs to start new chapter

New Delhi: Hailing the new Parliament building as the "beacon of parliamentary democracy" in the country and a "symbol of a new beginning," Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on MPs to forget all past bitterness and start a new chapter, asserting that whatever they are going to do in the new complex should be an inspiration for every citizen of the country.

The PM also mentioned the presence of the sacred "Sengol", which was installed on the day the building was inaugurated in May, as a link between the old and the new and as a witness to the first light of freedom.

Appealing in both Houses of Parliament to pass the "Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam" (bill), the PM said the bill will further strengthen Indian democracy. Mr Modi also extended greetings on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, Samvatsari Parva, a festival of forgiveness, and Michhami Dukkadam, a festival of Jains.

Earlier at the Lok Sabha, the PM noted that India, at the dawn of the Amrit Kaal, is moving forward with a resolve for the future by heading into the new Parliament edifice and highlighted some of the recent achievements of the country, including the successes of Chandrayaan-3 and the successful completion of the G-20 and its impact on the global level.

Referring to the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, Mr Modi said that Lord Ganesh is the God of prosperity, auspiciousness, reason and knowledge and "it is the time to accomplish the resolutions and begin the new journey with renewed enthusiasm and energy."

Remembering Lokmanya Tilak on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and the new beginning, Mr Modi said that during the freedom struggle, Lokmanya Tilak turned the festival into a medium for igniting the flame of swaraj in the entire country.

"Today we are moving with the same inspiration," said the PM.

On Samvatsari Parva, the PM said the festival is about asking for forgiveness for any intentional and unintentional acts that might have hurt somebody.

"Calling the Sengol a link between the old and new and a "witness to the first light of freedom," Mr Modi said it was touched by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and "therefore, Sengol links us with a important part of our past," Mr Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the grandeur of the new Parliament building anoints the Amrit Kaal and remembered the hard work of the "shramiks and engineers" who kept on working on the building even during the pandemic. He also informed the gathering that more than 30,000 "sharmiks" contributed to the building and mentioned the presence of a digital book carrying the full details of the shramiks.

"Bhawan (building) has changed, bhav (feelings) should also change… The Parliament is the supreme place to serve the country," said the PM as he underlined that the House is not meant for the benefit of any political party but only for the development of the nation.

Later at Rajya Sabha, Mr Modi said, "September 19 is a memorable as well as a historic day" as both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha moved to the new Parliament building… It is not just a new Parliament building, but a symbol of a new beginning."

The Prime Minister also stressed that the country needs to meet goals in a time-bound manner as the new generation is restless.

In his speech, Prime Minister Modi also highlighted the various measures taken by his government in the last nine years for women's empowerment.

Noting that the Rajya Sabha is considered the Upper House of Parliament, the PM underlined the intentions of the makers of the Constitution that the House becomes a centre for serious intellectual discussions rising above the ebb and flow of political discourse while giving direction to the nation.

Quoting Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan that Parliament is not just a legislative body but a deliberative body, the PM said it is always a pleasure to hear quality debates in the House. "The new Parliament is not just a new building but is also a symbol of a new beginning. At the dawn of Amrit Kaal, this new building will infuse new energy into 140 crore Indians," said Mr Modi.

Stressing the need to achieve goals in a set time frame as the nation is "no longer ready to wait," Mr Modi said the time has come to move with new thinking and style to meet the aspirations of the people and that will require expanding the scope of work and thought process. He said that the House can be a "source of inspiration for the legislative bodies all over the country with regard to parliamentary probity".

Noting that the country celebrated 75 years of Independence in the "Samvidhan Sadan" (old building), the PM said when the country will celebrate the century in the new building in 2047, "it will be a celebration in viksit Bharat."