Originally published at YouthKiAwaaz.com on 11th June, 2023
Months after the inauguration of the new parliament, the controversy surrounding it continues to persist. In this response to “Opinion: Will India’s New Parliament Strengthen Democracy Or Ruin It?” by Nillansh Rastogi, published on this very platform, it becomes evident that many critics lack substantive arguments.
“So-Called” Hindu Rituals
Inclusion of Hindu Rituals during the inauguration has been a common point of attack on the Building, though the rather curious quantifier “so-called” seems to be an invention of Nillansh, and one is left to wonder what it may been as it has not been expounded upon in the original article.
Still, one is left wondering how come so many people miss the Sarv-Dharam prayer held during the function, which have been norm for government activities. Or if they did not miss, do they have no problems with the Islamic rituals, or those of other faith, with their disdain being reserved only for “So Called” Hindu Rituals?
And if one is talking of Sengol, which is the symbol that sovereignty now rests with the preamble People of India, enough have already been written on the matter that most people have made up their minds. It would only be a waste of time and space to reproduce those arguments here, but I would recommend Ria Pillai’s analysis of the narrative surround it on how it relates to our notions on caste.
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Revealing the Controversy-Free Origin Story
Another aspect that deserves attention is the claim that the new parliament project was mired in controversy from its inception. Keeping in mind the great Indian babudom,it is evident that such an ambitious undertaking would not have been conceived overnight. In fact it was the Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar from UPA who first suggested building of a new parliament. More recently when both the houses of parliament officially requested for a new parliament, not a single MP opposed the demand. Clearly showing how much of the criticism from political parties have been a post hoc justification for achieving political brownie points rather than genuine opposition. It is crucial to scrutinize the motives behind the criticisms and separate them from the actual merits of the project itself.
But Why during Pandemic?
Another criticism, which in my opinion seems to be mist genuine, has been that while a new parliament may have been required, government could have postponed it due to the Pandemic. First we have to remember that the final master plan for Central Vista project was done in 2019, months before the pandemic. Also the new parliament costs ₹ 862 crore. Or a measly 6 rupees per capita, how this amount could meaningfully contribute to the health sector in face of ₹ 82,928 crore budget with the Health ministry in 2020-21 alone is beyond me. Another comparison is that Government of Delhi spend ₹ 1,100 crore on just advertisement in last three years.
While it is true that healthcare spending is often inadequate, the solution does not lie in being frugal in other areas.
Another way to look at the issue it that the entire project generated about 37 lakh man-days of labour during the pandemic, at a time when people were facing an unprecedented unemployment crisis, it surely helped. And stimulus in form of infrastructure spending have been a well known remedy during economic slowdown ever since the times of Keynes. When we couple in the cost that delays in project result into and well as the impressive savings of ₹ 1,000 crores that the project will result in, it becomes clear that there is a good enough case for continuing with the project.
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Conclusion
While issues raised against the delamination of Lok Sabha seats are complex and emotive one, making it a case against the New Parliament is rather childish – “We will stop increasing the number of MPs by making it physically impossible for them to sit.” I confess not having done a deep study of the problem but I am generally in favour of delamination happening considering how freezing of the constituencies have resulted into the overrepresentation of people of states like Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha while people of states like UP, Bihar and Maharashtra are underrepresented. (I use the phrase “people of states” knowingly and deliberately to distinguish myself from people who talk of representation of states.)
(Image courtesy India’s Emerging Crisis of Representation by Milan Vaishnav and Jamie Hintson via ThePrint)
Similarly childish is the worry about being “shown undemocratic in world media”, it is not for desk editors of foreign papers to say, when crores of vote are voting and electing the government we seek. As one commentator said, “Row over Parliament building shows politics in India never stops, national symbol or not.” I would end by quoting former PM Deve Gowda, one among the “South Indian opposition leaders” who are often evoked in these debates regarding the new parliament:
I have many reasons to oppose BJP politically. But, I don’t want to bring politics in the matter of inauguration of Sansad Bhavan. I have been elected to both the Houses of the parliament. I have rendered my duties in the constitutional framework. I can’t bring politics into the matter of the constitution.
References
- Gupta, Moushumi Das. “Row Over Parliament Building Shows Politics in India Never Stops, National Symbol or Not.” ThePrint, 27 May 2023, theprint.in/opinion/newsmaker-of-the-week/row-over-parliament-building-shows-politics-in-india-never-stops-national-symbol-or-not/1597210.
- Pillai, Ria. “Opinion: Is India’s Caste Discourse a ‘Dialogue’ or a ‘Narrative’?” Youth Ki Awaaz, July 2023, www.youthkiawaaz.com/2023/07/indias-caste-discourse-dialogue-or-narrative.
- PTI. “New Parliament Building Necessity, No MP Objected When Both Houses Requested for It: Om Birla.” The Times of India, 18 June 2021, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/new-parliament-building-necessity-no-mp-objected-when-both-houses-requested-for-it-om-birla/articleshow/83639783.cms.
- Rastogi, Nillansh. “Opinion: Will India’S New Parliament Strengthen Democracy or Ruin It?” Youth Ki Awaaz, July 2023, www.youthkiawaaz.com/2023/07/indias-new-parliament-will-strengthen-democracy-or-ruin-it.
- “New Parliament Bhavan Isn’t…: Former PM HD Deve Gowda’s Big Statement Amid Row Over Inauguration.” DNA India, www.dnaindia.com/india/report-new-parliament-bhavan-isn-t-former-pm-hd-deve-gowda-s-big-statement-amid-row-over-inauguration-3044562.
- Lahiri, Ishadrita. “How Census-based Delimitation for Lok Sabha Seats Could Shake up Politics and Disadvantage South.” ThePrint, 29 Dec. 2022, theprint.in/india/governance/how-census-based-delimitation-for-lok-sabha-seats-could-shake-up-politics-disadvantage-south/1287536.
- Sinha, Bhadra. “New Central Vista Will Save Rs 1,000 Crore Spent Annually on Rent Expenditure, Govt Tells SC.” ThePrint, 3 Nov. 2020, theprint.in/judiciary/new-central-vista-will-save-rs-1000-crore-spent-annually-on-rent-expenditure-govt-tells-sc/536402.
- Seth, Dilasha. “Infra Project Delays Causing Cost Spikes | Mint.” Mint, 9 Jan. 2023, www.livemint.com/news/india/infra-project-delays-causing-cost-spikes-11673287148446.html.
- Vagliasindi, Maria, and Nisan Gorgulu. “What have we learned about the effectiveness of infrastructure investment as a fiscal stimulus? A literature review.” (2021).
- Duraisamy, Subramaniam. ” Subramaniam Duraisamy’s Answer to Why is the Indian government spending 20,000 crores on Central Vista Project when the whole country is suffering in the second wave of pandemic?” Quora. 13 May 2021. https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-Indian-government-spending-20-000-crores-on-Central-Vista-Project-when-the-whole-country-is-suffering-in-the-second-wave-of-pandemic/answer/Subramaniam-Duraisamy-1
- Kumar, Meira “मेरे कार्यकाल में संसद भवन बनाने का सुझाव दिया गया था : मीरा कुमार”. Interview by Akhilesh Sharma. NDTV. 31 May 2023 https://ndtv.in/videos/suggested-to-build-a-parliament-house-during-my-tenure-meira-kumar-691189
- IANS. “Central Vista Projects Generate Over 3.7 Mn Man-days of Employment.” www.business-standard.com, 8 Sept. 2022, www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/central-vista-projects-generate-over-3-7-mn-man-days-of-employment-122090801097_1.html.
- Express News Service. “Delhi Govt Claims Lack of Funds for RRTS Project, SC Calls for Ad Spend Details.” The Indian Express, 3 July 2023, indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/sc-delhi-government-ad-spend-8698928.
- “Demand for Grants 2021-22 Analysis: Health and Family Welfare.” PRS Legislative Research, prsindia.org/budgets/parliament/demand-for-grants-2021-22-analysis-health-and-family-welfare.
- ANI (@ANI) “#WATCH | ‘Sarv-dharma’ prayers are underway at the new Parliament building as the inauguration ceremony is led by PM Modi”. Twitter, 28 May 2023. https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1662653934945857536?s=20.
- hindustantimes.com. “Centre Busts Myths Around Central Vista, Says ‘claims Mischievously Exaggerated.’” Hindustan Times, 6 June 2021, www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-busts-myths-around-central-vista-says-claims-mischievously-exaggerated-101622955003309.html.
