Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building Sunday morning.
Dressed in a traditional attire, Modi walked into the Parliament premises and was welcomed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Amid Vedic chants by priests from Karnataka’s Shringeri Math, the Prime Minister performed “Ganapati Homam” to invoke Gods to bless the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
The Prime Minister prostrated before the “Sengol” and sought blessings from high priests of various adheenams in Tamil Nadu with the holy sceptre in hand.
Present on the occasion was Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Tura MP Agatha Sangma. The sibling duo joined other state representatives and members, largely from the ruling side, at the occasion. The event was largely boycotted by the opposition, who had demanded that President Droupadi Murmu have the honour of opening the building.
Modi then carried the “Sengol” in a procession amid tunes of “nadaswaram” and chanting of Vedic mantras to the new Parliament building and installed it in a special enclosure on the right side of the Speaker’s chair in the Lok Sabha chamber.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar and Jitendra Singh, Chief Ministers of several states and BJP president JP Nadda were present on the occasion.
The Prime Minister felicitated some workers who played key roles in the construction of the new Parliament building.
“This is not just a building. It is a reflection of the aspirations and dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. This is the temple of our democracy and it’s giving the message of India’s determination to the world,” he said.
Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted that the PM was treating the parliament inauguration as a coronation. Last week, 19 parties – including the Congress – announced their “collective decision” to boycott the ceremony.
While the ceremony was going on, some of India’s top wrestlers were detained by police as they tried to stage a protest in front of the new building.
“As an honoured spectator of this historic moment, I am filled with immense pride for the accomplishments of our nation,” Conrad said on social media, accompanying a series of photographs in and outside the building. “Our nation’s dedication to democracy and embracing a brighter future is exemplified by the new Parliament building. It is a testament to India’s illustrious history and firm commitment to inclusive governance.”
