Congress Leader PL Punia says change the way you function within. (File)
Ahead of the bhoomi pujan for the new Parliament building to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 10, Congress leader PL Punia today said that the foundation stone should be laid by the President instead.
"I don't want to raise any question on the need for a new building of Parliament. But my point is that since Parliament is a constitutional institution, the foundation stone of its new building should be laid by the President of the country," Mr Punia said, adding the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government is doing this with the intention of etching their name on the new building. "It is very unfortunate," he said.
"Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal has rightly said changing the edifice is not enough, change the way you function within, the way Parliament has been downgraded, and procedures bypassed," Mr Punia added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the new Parliament building and perform bhoomi pujan (customary ritual) on December 10.
The construction will begin this month. In the new building, the Lok Sabha chamber will have a seating capacity for 888 members against the present strength of 543, whereas Rajya Sabha chamber will be able to accommodate 384 seats against the current strength of 245 members.
The maximum seating capacity in the Lok Sabha chamber is expected to be 1,272 for joint Parliamentary sessions.
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