Old Parliament building renamed 'Samvidhan Sadan'

The old Parliament building will now be called 'Samvidhan Sadan', as MPs on Tuesday moved into the new swanky building -- the Parliament House of India -- with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging MPs to forget bitterness and start a new chapter.

Modi along with BJP MPs marched to the new building chanting ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ after a function in Central Hall while MPs from Congress and some allies entered the House led by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who held a copy of Constitution in his hand.

As they moved to the new building, Parliamentarians were given a welcome kit, which included a copy of the Constitution, a commemorative Rs 75 coin featuring the new Parliament, and a postage stamp within a booklet, as well as the seal of the Parliament House.

The new name for the old Building was suggested by Modi during his speech in Central Hall. Later in the day, Speaker Om Birla issued a notification in this regard.

Addressing the MPs of both Houses at the Central Hall, ahead of the commencement of the first sitting in the new building, Modi said that among the 4,000 laws that saw passage in the Parliament was one against triple talaq and the abrogation of Article 370. He said that in the new Parliament building, the lawmakers are going to make new beginnings for a new future.

“Since 1952, 41 heads of states from across the world have addressed our MPs in Central Hall. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to making India a developed nation by 2047. More than 4,000 laws have been passed by Parliament in the last seven decades. Different Presidents of India addressed this Central Hall 86 times,” Modi said.

BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, who spoke at the function as the seniormost MP in the Lok Sabha, said that she entered the House when she was 34 and in the last 35 years, had seen seven prime ministers. “My happiest moment was being given the responsibility by the Prime Minister, who coined the phrase ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’. Within two years, we changed the thought of the country and the statistics show that it is a lasting change,” she said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Sansad Bhawan has a significant role in India’s political history and the Parliament House was witness to various historic events. Birla said the special sitting in the Central Hall on the last day in the old Parliament Building was historic and momentous.

Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said this transition is a journey from 'Tryst with Destiny' to 'Tryst with Modernity' and called upon all MP to join the historic journey towards "Bharat 2047".