Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the new Parliament House to the nation today. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister installed the Sengol with Nandi at the top facing East-West direction in the new Parliament House. He also lit up the Diya and offered flowers to the Sengol.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that there are few moments in every nation’s history that are immortalized. Some dates become the immortal signature on the face of time and May 28, 2023 is one such day. “People of India have given themselves a gift for the Amrit Mahotsav,” said Narendra Modi.

The Prime Minister said that this is not merely a building but is a reflection of the aspirations and dreams of 140 crore Indians. “This is a temple of our democracy that gives a message of India’s resolution to the world. This new Parliament building connects planning to reality, policy to realization, willpower to execution, and sankalp to siddhi”.

This will be a medium for realizing the dreams of the freedom fighters. It will witness the sunrise of Aatmnirbhar Bharat and will see the realization of a Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister said that this new building is an example of the coexistence of ancient and modern.

Referring to the establishment of sacred Sengol, the Prime Minister said that in the great Chola empire, Sengol was seen as a symbol of the path of service duty and nation.  He said under the guidance of Rajaji and Adheenam, this Sengol became the sacred symbol of the transfer of power. “It is our good fortune that we could restore the dignity of this sacred Sengol. This Sengol will keep on inspiring us during the proceedings of the House”, he said.

Referring to the Vedas, the Prime Minister highlighted that it teaches us the principles of democratic assemblies and committees. He also mentioned the Mahabharata where one can find the description of a Republic and said that India has lived and breathed democracy in Vaishali. “The Anubhav Mantappa of Lord Basweswara is a thing of pride for all of us”, Shri Modi added.

The Prime Minister said that after years of slavery, after losing so much, India resumed its journey and reached the Amrit Kaal. “Amrit Kaal is a period of forging new dimensions of development while preserving our heritage. This is Amrit Kaal of giving a new direction to the nation. This is Amrit Kaal of fulfilling innumerable aspirations”, he said.

The Prime Minister recalled the golden period of India’s prosperity and architecture. He said that centuries of slavery robbed us of this glory. The Prime Minister said that India of the 21st century is filled with confidence. “Today’s India is leaving behind the mentality of slavery and embracing that ancient glory of art. This new Parliament Building is a living example of this endeavour”, the Prime Minister said.

“This building has Virasat (heritage) as well as Vastu (Architecture), Kala (art) as well as kaushal (skill), sanskriti (culture) as well as notes of Samvidhan (Constitution). He pointed out that the interiors of Lok Sabha are themed on the national bird peacock and Rajya Sabha on the national flower lotus. The Parliament premises have the national tree Banyan.

The new building incorporates the specialities of different parts of the country.  He mentioned granite from Rajasthan, timber from Maharashtra and carpet by Bhadhoi artisans. “We witness the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in every particle of this building”, he said.

The Prime Minister pointed out the difficulties faced by the Parliamentarians in getting work done in the old Parliament building and gave examples of challenges due to the lack of technical facilities and paucity of seats in the House. The need for a new Parliament, the Prime Minister said, was being discussed for decades and it was the need of the hour that a new Parliament should be developed. He expressed delight that the new Parliament House is equipped with the latest technology and the halls are also sunlit.

Recalling his interactions with the ‘Shramiks’ who contributed to the construction of the new  Parliament, the Prime Minister informed that 60,000 shramiks were given employment during the construction of the Parliament and a new gallery has been put up in the house highlighting their contributions. “It is the first time that the contributions of Shramiks have been immortalized in the new Parliament”, the Prime Minister remarked.

The Prime Minister said the new Parliament Building will strengthen the nation’s belief in its success and inspire everyone towards a Viksit Bharat. “We will have to move with a spirit of Nation First.  We will have to keep the path of duty above all. We will have to be an example with our conduct while constantly improving ourselves. We will have to tread our own path,” he said.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the new building of the Parliament will become the basis for the creation of a new, prosperous, strong and developed India. “This is an India that walks the path of policy, justice, truth, dignity and duty and becomes stronger”, the Prime Minister concluded.