Congress leader Jairam Ramesh calls new parliament ‘Modi multiplex’; BJP hits back

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday called the new parliament building a “Modi Multiplex or Modi Marriot” and alleged that the new Parliament building realises the Prime Minister's objectives of killing democracy and conversations.

Taking a swipe at the new Parliament building, the senior Congress leader went on to say that he misses the old Parliament building and he finds the new one “claustrophobic” and “like a maze”.

“The new Parliament building launched with so much hype actually realises the PM's objectives very well. It should be called the Modi Multiplex or Modi Marriot. After four days, what I saw was the death of confabulations and conversations—both inside the two Houses and in the lobbies. If architecture can kill democracy, the PM has already succeeded even without rewriting the Constitution,” Ramesh posted on X on Saturday.  

The new Parliament building built during the Covid time was made operational on September 19, on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, during the special session that saw the unanimous passage of the women’s reservation bill.

Ramesh said: "Perhaps a better use for the new Parliament building will be found after regime change in 2024."

Continuing his attack, Ramesh claimed that the halls of the new parliament building are not cozy or compact and one needed binoculars to see each other in the complex.

Ramesh compared the infrastructural differences between the new Parliament building and the old one, now known as Samvidhan Sadan, and said that the new one “weakens the bonding needed to make the running of Parliament a success”, while the old building “not only had a certain aura but it facilitated conversations”.

 

“Binoculars are needed to see each other since the halls are simply not cozy or compact. The old Parliament building not only had a certain aura but it facilitated conversations. It was easy to walk between Houses, the Central Hall, and the corridors. This new one weakens the bonding needed to make the running of Parliament a success,” said the Congress leader.

He added, “Quick coordination between the two Houses is now exceedingly cumbersome. In the old building, if you were lost, you would find your way back again since it was circular. In the new building, if you lose your way, you are lost in a maze. The old building gave you a sense of space and openness while the new one is almost claustrophobic.”

Hitting back, BJP president J P Nadda said: "Even by the lowest standards of the Congress Party, this is a pathetic mindset. This is nothing but an insult to the aspirations of 140 crore Indians." 

"In any case, this isn't the first time Congress is anti-Parliament. They tried in 1975 and it failed miserably," Nadda posted on X.

 

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