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Congress leader Jairam Ramesh calls new parliament a ‘Modi multiplex’. BJP chief JP Nadda hits back
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that halls of the new parliament building are not cozy or compact and one needed binoculars to see each other.
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Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday slammed the new parliament building where the special session was held, calling it ‘Modi Multiplex' or ‘Modi Marriot’. Taking to social media platform X, the Congress leader said he witnessed 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”, he said.
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.
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Reminiscing the old parliament days, Ramesh claimed 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.
“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”, he added.
Claiming that the 'sheer joy' of 'hanging out' had disappeared, Ramesh called the new complex as ‘painful and agonising’.
“I am sure many of my colleagues across party lines feel the same. I have also heard from the staff in the Secretariat that the design of the new building has not considered the various functionalities required to help them do their work. This is what happens when no consultations are done with the people who will use the building. Perhaps a better use for the new Parliament building will be found after regime change in 2024”, Ramesh added.
Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda hit back at Jairam over his remark.
“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”, he added.
