In his last address from the historic Central Hall of the old Parliament building, Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded "new beginnings for a new future" as he urged the MPs to reaffirm the commitment to make India a developed nation by 2047.
Commemorating the rich legacy of the Parliament of India, Modi said 41 heads of state from across the world have addressed our MPs in the Central Hall since 1952. Over 4,000 laws have been passed by Parliament in the last seven decades," the prime minister said.
"Today, together in the new Parliament building, we are all going to inaugurate a new future. Today, we are moving towards the new building here with the intention of reiterating the resolve of a developed India, being determined and working whole-heartedly to fulfil it," he said.
Recounting the laws passed in the old Parliament building, he said Muslim mothers and sisters got justice as the law against 'triple talaq' was unitedly passed from here. "In the last few years, Parliament has also passed laws giving justice to the transgenders. We have unitedly passed laws that will guarantee a bright future for the specially-abled people. It is our privilege that we got the opportunity to abrogate Article 370," he said.
"The Constitution made in this House was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir," he said, adding that J-K has embarked on the path of peace and development and with a new zeal, enthusiasm and determination, the people there do not want to miss any opportunity to move forward.
The Prime Minister also called for expanding the canvas to build a stronger India and said all reforms and new laws going forward must have rising aspirations of the country as their priority.
Modi said a big picture cannot be painted on a small canvas and the idea of a grand India cannot be envisioned if the members do not think big. "Is it possible to draw a big picture on a small canvas? No! In the same way, we cannot mark out the picture of 'Bhavya Bharat' if we have a small canvas of thinking," Modi said.
"We have a rich heritage! If this rich heritage is joined in by our dreams, and our resolutions, and if our canvas of thinking expands, we will certainly be able to paint a picture of 'Bhavya Bharat', we will certainly be able to fill colours in this picture, and offer this beautiful, colourful and grand picture of 'Maa Bharti' to our future generations," he said.
Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several MPs walked from the old to the new Parliament building on Tuesday to attend the sitting in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers in the new complex.
Members join for
group photograph
All members of Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha got together for a group photograph on Tuesday at the inner courtyard of the old buildingjust before the House proceedings shifted to the new building on Tuesday.
Those on the first row included Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha member 93-year-old Shafiq-ur-Rahman Barq, veteran leaders Sharad Pawar (NCP), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and BJP president J P Nadda.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was in the second last row with Manish Tewari.
The members turned up in their best clothes, women in sarees and most men in white kurta-pyjamas with vibrant waistcoats.
However, there were tense moments after BJP Rajya Sabha member Narhari Amin fainted. Amit Shah, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and some leaders were seen rushing to his rescue. Officials were seen offering water to the 68-year-old Amin, who soon joined the group photo.
This photo was followed by a group photograph of Rajya Sabha members and later, a group photograph of Lok Sabha members.
'Parliament House of India'
A Lok Sabha Secretariat notification said the new Parliament building has been designated as the Parliament House of India. "The Speaker, Lok Sabha is pleased to notify the new building of Parliament situated in the precincts of the Parliament House on Plot Number 118, New Delhi, east of the existing Parliament House with Raisina road to the south and Red Cross road to the north, to be, hereon, designated as the Parliament House of India," said the notification issued on Monday.
(With PTI inputs)
