Inauguration of new Parliament begins with havan, sengol, multi-faith prayer service

Earlier, the PM bowed down to the sengol, which was given to Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of Independence by the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam (Mutt) in Tamil Nadu and had been in a museum in Prayagraj since. After receiving the sceptre from the priests, the PM then placed it in a glass case behind the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s seat, with Birla standing next to him. Modi also unveiled a plaque declaring the new building “dedicated to the nation”.

Among those present for the multi-faith prayer were Union Ministers Amit Shah, Hardeep Puri, Rajnath Singh, S. Jaishankar, Anurag Thakur and Ashwini Vaishnaw, as well Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, Goa CM Pramod Sawant and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel.

Later in the afternoon, an inauguration ceremony will take place inside the new Lok Sabha chamber, where Modi and Birla are expected to give speeches. Lok Sabha Secretariat sources say all sitting MPs were invited for this event, however, 20 Opposition parties have decided to boycott the event as the Prime Minister is inaugurating the new Parliament instead of the President.

The new Parliament was constructed from January 2021 at an estimated cost of Rs.1,200 crore. Designed by HCP Design, Planning and Management Ltd, the triangular building sits adjacent to the heritage Parliament building that was completed in 1927.