May 28 marks a new era in India's parliamentary history, liberated from the colonial overhang, and setting its own template of democracy. Nonagenarian former Prime Minister HD Devegowda, leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), understood the importance of being witness to the inauguration of the new parliament building. His Karnataka compatriot, the octogenarian Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who was listed among the speakers as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, led a 20-party boycott of an event that will likely be recorded in history as India's Tryst with Destiny 2.0 - a festival of blending India's glorious past magnificently with its contemporary aspirations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his speech, referenced his Independence Day address from the Red Fort and said: "There comes a time in the history of every nation when the consciousness of a country awakens anew." The inauguration was held a day after the death anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, on the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Neither of these prominent figures from the freedom movement was named in the speeches, but the symbolism of the chosen date was not missed.
Had the Congress, which had not joined the opposition boycott of the Niti Aayog's Governing Council meeting on May 27, participated in the inauguration, it could have provided Mallikarjun Kharge with the opportunity of mentioning that the Sengol, installed amid fanfare in the new Lok Sabha chamber, was a legacy of the Nehru era - thus invoking the first Prime Minister in this grand ceremony.
A controversy has been raised about the history of the Sengol. New York-published TIME magazine had reported the Sengol ceremony at Nehru's home on the eve of Independence in its issue dated August 25, 1947. Regardless of the context, the symbolism associated with the Sengol must not be underestimated. The very fact that the Sengol was stowed away at the Allahabad Museum (not Anand Bhavan, as erroneously claimed by some) as a personal artefact of the first Prime Minister is testimony to its historical significance.
The nation saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi greet his predecessor Devegowda, seated in the front row. The Congress's participation would have ensured prime seats not only for Manmohan Singh but even for Sonia Gandhi in her capacity as chairperson of the Congress party in parliament. These niceties, which are essential for democratic polity, appear to be restricted in the party where Rahul Gandhi's writ runs. The Congress had also stayed away from the foundation laying of the new building in 2020.
While Modi was invoking "Sevapath" (path of service to the nation) as the leitmotif of the inauguration, Rahul Gandhi's tweet compared it to a "Rajyabhishek" (coronation). The tweet was an affront to India's democracy. The ceremony was held in the best secular, democratic traditions. Twelve religions were represented in the multi-faith prayers. Secularism, which is interpreted in Hindi by some as "dharm nirpekshata" (state sans religion), was interpreted in the 1970s as "sarvadharm sambhaav" (harmony between religions). The ceremony reflected the latter interpretation.
In recent months the UK, which is a cosmopolitan nation (it now has a Hindu Prime Minister of Indian origin) showcased the best Christian ceremonies during Queen Elizabeth's funeral and King Charles III's coronation. So much so that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak read excerpts from the Bible at the coronation. The inauguration of US presidents is marked by the incoming president taking the oath of office while invoking his family Bible. Islamic states show similar reverence to the Quran. The presence of seers and the Yagna at the inauguration, along with the sarvadharm prayers, showcased the best of India's secular ethos.
In his discourses in the UK a few months back, Rahul Gandhi had lamented that democracy was under attack in India. Perhaps with his tweet, he was establishing the agenda for his 10-day visit to the US, which he begins today. The Congress leader's visit precedes Modi's state visit to the US, during which he will lead the International Yoga Day event at the UN Headquarters in New York on June 21. President Joe Biden said in Hiroshima that he was being swamped with requests for invites to the state dinner White House is hosting for Modi - a reflection of the high regard and admiration for India's PM in Washington DC. One hopes that Rahul Gandhi will be circumspect with his rhetoric in the US. As an opposition leader, he is entitled to his views, but they must not denigrate India on foreign soil. The diversity of our democracy is underscored by the boycott by 20 parties while 25 applauded. The Karnataka results are testimony to the fairness of our system.
The need for a new parliament building had been felt for three decades. Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the PV Narasimha Rao government in the 1990s, has revealed that then Speaker Shivraj Patil had suggested a new building, pointing out that when Lok Sabha seats are increased after the freeze on the number of constituencies is lifted in 2026, the seating capacity will fall short. The subject was raised in the UPA era as well. But as policy paralysis was the credo of the Congress-led regime between 2004 and 2014, no decision was taken.
Modi launched his Central Vista redevelopment plan after he returned to power in 2019 - like all other infrastructure projects initiated by him, the new parliament was constructed in record time. There is criticism in some quarters that the project was set in motion at the peak of the economic hardship caused by the pandemic. The US built its infrastructure during the Recession in the 1930s - it helped the economy bounce back. In India, former princely rulers used public works to provide livelihood during crisis; the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur is perhaps the best example of drought-relief construction.
Some 60,000 labourers were involved in the new parliament project, which, according to estimates, generated 23.04 lakh man-days of employment. A digital gallery of the contribution of these builders has been set up to immortalise their sweat - an unprecedented tribute. Indian architects and Indian companies along with thousands of artisans across the country were proud participants in this venture. Bamboo from Tripura, sandstone from Rajasthan, carpets from Uttar Pradesh - the diversity of Indian artefacts was effectively harnessed. 64,000 MT of cement and 26,000 MT of steel was used, providing a boost to the manufacturing sector.
The opposition's boycott was triggered by its objection to the Prime Minister inaugurating the new parliament - they felt President Draupadi Murmu should have done the honours instead. During the UPA rule, there were many occasions when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh applauded while the inauguration was done by Sonia Gandhi as chairperson of the National Advisory Committee, a consultative body set up by the government sans any provision for it in the Constitution. The Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, Jaipur's Ghat-ki-Guni tunnel; the launch of the Rohtang Tunnel project (now named Atal Tunnel) - the list of such events is long. It is the executive's prerogative to decide. The Supreme Court also dismissed petitions that opposed the inauguration by the PM.
The new parliament building, along with the Central Vista redevelopment, marks the serenading of the Ninth city of Delhi, after Lutyens's Eighth.
Modi's Delhi is in the offing.
(Shubhabrata Bhattacharya is a retired Editor and a public affairs commentator.)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.