Page 26 - NIS English 16-30 June,2023

Cover Story
New temple of Democracy
fears, but the world of the 21st century sees India
as an important democratic force.
PM Modi supervised the
construction continuously
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "I can never
forget the moment in my life when I got the
opportunity to visit the Parliament House for the
first time in 2014 as a Member of Parliament. Then,
before stepping into this temple of democracy, I
bowed my head and bowed down to this temple of
democracy". His faith in the temple of democracy
is clearly reflected in these words. In such
circumstances, when independent India built the
temple of democracy on its own, its enthusiasm
was understandable. Prime Minister Modi kept
an eye on every detail, from the design of the new
parliament to the laying of the foundation stone,
construction, decoration, and state-of-the-art
facilities. Even with his hectic schedule, he visited
the construction site to boost worker morale, and
many new initiatives are being launched in their
honour in the new Parliament.
Prime Minister Modi, who returned from a foreign
tour on September 26, 2021, paid an unexpected
visit to the Parliament House construction site
late in the evening and reviewed the construction
work for more than an hour in order for the work to
24 New India Samachar June 16-30, 2023
History of the old parliament
n The strength of the Indian democratic system is
manifested in our Parliament, which has withstood the
Indian freedom struggle from colonial rule and seen
many historical milestones.
n The design, foundation stone, and inauguration of the
Old Parliament House were all done by architects and
officials associated with British rule at that time.
n
The current building served as the first Parliament
of independent India and adopted the Constitution
of India. Thus, preserving and renovating the rich
heritage of the Parliament House is a matter of
national importance.
n A symbol of the democratic spirit of India, the
Parliament House is situated at the heart of the Central
Vista. The current Parliament House of India, designed
by British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert
Baker, is a colonial-era building that took six years
(1921–1927) to build.
n Originally called the "House of Parliament", the
Legislative Council of the British Government was
functioning in this building.
n To meet the demand for more space, two more floors
were added to the Parliament House in 1956.
n The Parliament Museum was added in 2006 to
showcase 2,500 years of India's rich democratic
heritage.
n The Parliament House has served as the 'Temple of
National Discussion' in the world's largest democracy.
Both Houses of Parliament have been pillars
supporting the socio-economic development of the
country since independence.