PM Modi Arrives At New Parliament Building For Inauguration, Ceremony To Begin With Puja

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the new Parliament building for the inauguration ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the new Parliament building for the inauguration ceremony. The ceremony will begin with a puja which will continue for about an hour. According to ANI, after the puja, the PM will receive the 'Sengol' and install it in the new Parliament. PM Modi is set to host around 25 political parties at the new Parliament building's inauguration. In addition to the 18 individuals representing the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), there will be seven other parties not affiliated with the NDA present at the event.

Seven political parties that are not part of the NDA, including the BSP, Shiromani Akali Dal, Janata Dal (Secular), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), YSR Congress, BJD, and TDP, are expected to attend the ceremony.

The grand opening of the new Parliament building is expected to be marked by hymn chanting, a "havan" ritual, and a "puja" ceremony. The rituals will commence in the morning, with the main program scheduled for the afternoon.

The move for the Prime Minister to inaugurate the new Parliament building has been criticised by nearly 20 opposition parties such as the Congress, Left, TMC, SP, and AAP who have chosen not to attend the inauguration ceremony. 

Notably, the Supreme Court rejected a plea seeking the new Parliament to be inaugurated by President Murmu. The court said that the matter is not relevant to SC and while rejecting the PIL said that the Prime Minister is the executive head of Parliament while the president is the constitutional head. Earlier, a PIL was submitted to the apex court requesting the Lok Sabha secretariat to arrange for President Droupadi Murmu to officially inaugrate the new Parliament building.

A related controversy pertains to the 'Sengol' that will be installed close to the Chair of the Lok Sabha speaker as the Congress claimed there is no documented evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C Rajagopalachari, and Jawaharlal Nehru describing the 'Sengol' as a symbol of the transfer of power by the British to India. The grand old party's Communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh remarked that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "drum-beaters are using the ceremonial sceptre for their political ends in Tamil Nadu."