In line with his Hindu nationalist government’s ambitious ambition to modernize the British colonial-era architecture in the city, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened India’s new parliament building on Sunday.
A yea before the parliamentary elections, in which Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will run on its solid record as Hindu nationalist party and its performance in office over the previous ten years, the inaugural ceremony and the ongoing renovation of New Delhi’s central business district are based on Indian culture, traditions, and symbols.
At a ceremony early in the morning that was also attended by top cabinet members, Modi offered customary prayers outside the compound. Then inside the legislature, he ignited a customary lamp.
Later, the prime minister entered parliament to loud cheers from guests, government officials and lawmakers, with many welcoming him with chant of "Modi, Modi".
"This new complex will be evidence of self-reliant India," he said in an address.
Meanwhile, twenty opposition parties boycotted the ceremony because they believed Modi had broken the rules by inaugurating the new complex and taking center stage when the country's President should have done so.
The new parliament complex is the centrepiece of a $2.4 billion project aimed at eclipsing the significance of colonial-era buildings in the capital's centre, paving the way for modern buildings with a distinct Indian identity. Besides modern technology, the new parliament has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, nearly 500 more than the old building, which will accommodate new lawmakers in the world's most populous nation.
A yea before the parliamentary elections, in which Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will run on its solid record as Hindu nationalist party and its performance in office over the previous ten years, the inaugural ceremony and the ongoing renovation of New Delhi’s central business district are based on Indian culture, traditions, and symbols.
At a ceremony early in the morning that was also attended by top cabinet members, Modi offered customary prayers outside the compound. Then inside the legislature, he ignited a customary lamp.
Later, the prime minister entered parliament to loud cheers from guests, government officials and lawmakers, with many welcoming him with chant of "Modi, Modi".
"This new complex will be evidence of self-reliant India," he said in an address.
Meanwhile, twenty opposition parties boycotted the ceremony because they believed Modi had broken the rules by inaugurating the new complex and taking center stage when the country's President should have done so.
The new parliament complex is the centrepiece of a $2.4 billion project aimed at eclipsing the significance of colonial-era buildings in the capital's centre, paving the way for modern buildings with a distinct Indian identity. Besides modern technology, the new parliament has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, nearly 500 more than the old building, which will accommodate new lawmakers in the world's most populous nation.
