NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the vision of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and subsequent leaders, including Lal Bahadur Shastri, P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, but also reminded the Lok Sabha of the ‘cash-for-vote’ scam during the Manmohan Singh government.
Initiating the discussion in the Lok Sabha on “Parliamentary Journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha — Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings”, Modi also said there were celebrations everywhere when three new states of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh were created during Vajpayee’s time but lamented that Telangana being carved out of Andhra Pradesh led to only bitterness and bloodshed in both the states.
It is this Parliament where Pandit Nehru spoke at the ‘stroke of midnight hour’ and his words continue to inspire everyone, he said.
The biggest achievement of these 75 years is that the common person’s trust in Parliament continues to grow, Modi said, as he wished that when Parliament shifts to its new building on Tuesday that should be a dawn of new hope and confidence.
Modi said it is also an occasion to hail everyone who have led this House and shared their vision for India, ranging from Pandit Nehru to Vajpayee. He also remembered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Chandrashekhar and Lal Krishna Advani for enriching the House.
The prime minister also lauded the contribution of B R Ambedkar, saying his vision for industrialisation, which was aimed at bringing social justice in the country during the first government of independent India, continues to remain at the heart of every industrial policy even today.
At the same time, there have been sad and emotive moments when Parliament witnessed the loss of three serving prime ministers — Nehru, Shastri and Indira Gandhi — and they were paid rich tributes, he noted.
“This House also supported the liberation of Bangladesh under the leadership of Indira Gandhi,” he said.
At the same time, this House also witnessed an attack on democracy during the Emergency and through this House, the people also asserted their power as we saw the return of democracy, Modi added.
Modi also paid tributes to “every brick” of the old Parliament building and said the MPs would enter the new building with “new hope and confidence.”
In his over an hour-long speech in Lok Sabha, Modi remembered the journey of India’s democracy and said the last day in this heritage building should be dedicated to the over 7,500 parliamentarians who served in this building since Independence.
Parliament will shift to the new building on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Tuesday.
“Today we have an opportunity to connect with the past. We are leaving this building with hope for the future. I am confident that as we enter the new Parliament building, we will go there with new hope and confidence,” the prime minister said.
“Today is the day for remembering the 7,500 MPs who have served here…I salute every brick of this building,” he said.
Stressing on the historical importance of the old Parliament Building, PM Modi recalled that while the construction of the old Parliament Building was given by foreign rulers, it was constructed through the sweat, hard work and money of Indians.
“Today, we are taking leave from this historic building. Before Independence, this was the Imperial Legislative Council and after Independence, it became the Parliament building,” he said.
“We may go to the new building, but the old building will also inspire generations to come. This is an important chapter of India’s journey,” Modi said.
