Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include the expansion and modernisation of Parliament building in his resolution for the 'New India' on the completion of the 75 years of India's freedom in 2022. Both made this statement in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha during the proceedings.
"I want to make a request to the Prime Minister that on the 75th anniversary of the freedom of India in 2022, the modernisation of the Parliament House is undertaken. The parliament is the biggest temple of the Indian republic. It has completed 92 golden years. All political decisions of the world's biggest democracy are taken in this temple of democracy," said Naidu addressing Rajya Sabha.
On the need to modernise the Parliament complex, Naidu said the Parliament Building has become quite old and during his tenure as Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, he had held meetings on the prospective modernisation of the parliament premises.
"I want to assure the public that the parliament's sovereignty will be held intact. The country's most sacred institution responsibility has increased and has raised the expectations of the people too. The parliament should become even grander," said Naidu.
Presiding over the proceedings of the House, Birla said it is the aspiration of all of us that Parliament building of the largest republic and the largest democracy of the world should be the most magnificent and attractive. Stating that all political decisions were taken in this most hallowed temple of the Indian republic, Birla said the Parliament building has completed 92 glorious years of its existence. He also assured, on behalf of all Members of Parliament, that the sanctity and dignity of Parliament will be kept intact.
The Parliament House was designed in 1912-13 by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. The construction of the building began in 1921 and was completed in 1927.