Skip to main content

PM Modi opponents boycott opening of new Indian Parliament

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's new parliament building on Sunday, a modern complex that is part of his Hindu nationalist government's grand plan to give a makeover to the British colonial-era architecture in New Delhi.

The inauguration, and the ongoing revamp of the heart of New Delhi based on Indian culture, traditions, and symbols, comes a year before parliamentary elections in which Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will pitch its Hindu nationalist credentials, and its performance in office over the last decade, to seek a third term.

Handout photo shows India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Modi held traditional prayers outside the complex in a ceremony that was also attended by top cabinet ministers. He then lit a traditional lamp inside the parliament.

Later, the prime minister entered parliament to loud cheers from guests, government officials, and lawmakers, with many welcoming him with a chant of "Modi, Modi".

"This new complex will be evidence of self-reliant India," he said in an address.

The  20 opposition parties boycotted the event, who said Modi had violated protocol to inaugurate the new complex and grab the spotlight as the President should have done it, who is the highest executive of the country.

"To open a new parliament building without the opposition, it does not mean there is a democracy in the country. It's an incomplete event," Supriya Sule, an opposition leader said.

During the inauguration ceremony, a parliament official read out a note written by President Droupadi Murmu in which she welcomed Modi had inaugurated the complex.

The Modi government has rejected the opposition argument, saying no protocol has been violated and that the prime minister respects the constitutional head of the country.

The new parliament complex is the centerpiece of a $2.4 billion project aimed at eclipsing the significance of colonial-era buildings in the capital's center, paving the way for modern buildings with a distinct Indian identity.

Modi on Twitter said the new parliament is "truly a beacon of our democracy".

Besides modern technology, the new parliament has a total of 1,272 seats in two chambers, nearly 500 more than the old building, and at least three times as much space to accommodate new lawmakers in the world's most populous nation.

The triangular-shaped parliament complex is just across from the old, circular heritage building built by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1927, two decades before India's independence.

The old parliament will be converted into a museum.

https://dubainews.tv/pm-modi-opponents-boycott-opening-of-new-indian-parliament/?feed_id=17161&_unique_id=64747ebe4f0fd
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Turkey: Erdogan wins re-election as president

Turkey's president,  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , won re-election Sunday in a tense run-off after he failed to secure more than 50 percent of votes required for an outright victory in the first round on May 14 in the strongest challenge to his 20-year rule. Turkish public broadcaster TRT called the presidential election for incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. State-run news agency Anadolu’s vote count shows Erdoğan leading opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu 52.11% to 47.89% with 98.52% of the vote counted. https://twitter.com/KarinaKarapety8/status/1662876007081164800 "We have completed the second round of the presidential election with the favor of our nation," Erdoğan said following the tally. "I would like to express my gratitude to my people who made us live this democracy holiday. We will deserve your trust." Erdogan cast his vote at a voting center in Istanbul on Sunday. “This is a first in Turkish democratic history,” he said. “Turkey,...
Post a Comment
Read more

UAE-India flights: Residents hail new direct route from Dubai to Bhubaneswar

Non-resident Odias living in the UAE flew in specially on the inaugural Dubai-Bhubaneswar direct flight on Tuesday, May 15, 2023, and met Odisha's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. They thanked him for his intervention in kickstarting these flights to the eastern state of India. Residents reiterated that what made this flight (which is operated by IndiGo) special is that the it fulfills a promise the minister made back in June 2022, when he was in Dubai for an investors' meet. Senior member of the Odia Community of UAE, Priyadarshee Panigrahi, who is the head of an Indian MNC’s MENA operation and is based at Dubai, met the state’s Chief Minister at ‘Naveen Nivas’ after landing from Dubai. He thanked him for the launch of these direct flight operations, which was a long pending demand of the Odia diaspora. Panigrahi says, “It was a wonderful feeling to fly from Dubai to Odisha directly in just about four hours, saving time, money and a lot of inconveni...
Post a Comment
Read more

Indian shares decline on profit booking amid earnings rush

BENGALURU: Indian shares fell on Wednesday, dragged by broad slide across sectors, as investors booked profits on a nearly 5% rise in the benchmark Nifty 50 in fiscal 2024 so far, while weak global cues amid debt ceiling negotiations in the U.S. weighed. The Nifty 50 was closed 0.57% down at 18,181.75, while the S&P BSE Sensex fell 0.60% to 61,560.64. Both indexes extended losses to a second consecutive session. High-weightage financials and information technology (IT) led losses in the Nifty, falling 0.71% and 0.97% respectively. Indian shares set to open higher on inflation boost, FII buying “The market is witnessing profit booking, especially in heavyweights from higher levels,” said Siddhartha Khemka, head – retail research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services. “Some consolidation may not be ruled out given the sharp up-move in the last few weeks.” The Nifty has risen 4.74% so far this fiscal, supported by a healthy results season and consistent buying from...
Post a Comment
Read more