K.V Seetharamaiah
Dedication of new Parliament to the nation is start of new journey. A journey with a clean slate. The number of parties that attended the function outnumbered the number of parties that boycotted it. This was the occasion for the opposition parties to show to the world that the politicians also unite in diversities. The completion of building, with a life span of about 150 years, within a period of 2 years and 5 months is noteworthy. ‘The Naya Sansad’ is the symbol of Indian culture, pride of ‘Naya Bharat’. The Sansad of 4 storeys at an estimated cost of Rs. 1200 crore designed in 64,500 square metres in triangular shape also represents that India is a peninsular country (with three sides surrounded by water). The lotus-themed Rajya Sabha is likely to annoy the political parties hostile to BJP if they do not (like to) realize that lotus was present even before BJP came into being and that Godess Lakshmi stands in the lotus. The peacock-themed Lok Sabha reminds us of our national bird. Boycott message by 20 opposition parties flops. The boycott was to register their protest against Modi inaugurating the Parliament House. But Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajawadi Party broke rank with opposition and asked “if not PM, who can inaugurate”? Amidst boycott, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah hailed the building as ‘damn impressive’. It is intriguing that the so- beautifully designed Parliament House has been likened to coffin by RJD. If it is its heart-felt view on the new Parliament House, RJD must not contest the election for Parliament till another building comes up after 150 years. New Parliament which unshackles from colonel era is reflection of India’s aspiration. All-faith prayers in Parliament marking the inauguration ceremony has dwarfed the ‘champions of secularism’. Now the forgotten sacred Sengol, believed to be Chola era Royal successions and symbolic of Chola era tradition, stands tall in the New Lok Sabha. The Sengol measuring 5 feet with rich workmanship given by Mountbatten to seers to Nehru has been described by Congress as ‘walking stick’ of Nehru. Prime Minister Narendra Modi prostrating before the Sengol, handed over by Adheenam seers with their blessings to Modi, also indicates that a plant that grows too tall bows without a sense of pride for being too tall. It may be recalled that Modi had prostrated to the steps of the old Parliament House when he was on his way to take over as Prime Minister. It was a pleasant surprise that D.K. Shivakumar emulated the example of Modi in prostrating to the steps of Vidhana Soudha in Karnataka. The notable feature of the opening of New Parliament House is that Modi felicitated the workers involved in the construction of the building. Modi has given a veiled message that but for the workers the building would not have come up. Unveiling 75-rupee coin and stamp shows that India is free from foreign rule for the last 75 years. The New Parliament has been hailed as the beginning of ‘Amrit Kaal’. New Parliament House is not the problem of the boycotting opposition parties. Everything will be alright if they fix their ‘problem’ with Modi. The dream of many opposition party leaders for a new Parliament has also been realized. MPs from every party must come to the new Parliament. There is an adage “everyone who comes to and settles in village must come to well for water”.