New Delhi: India has to work on a far bigger canvas in the next 25 years of “Amrit Kaal”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his last speech at the old Parliament Tuesday, before proceedings shifted to the new building in the afternoon.
“We cannot anymore be caught up in little things… That time is gone. We have to first meet the aim of becoming ‘atmanirbhar’. It has to begin with us, with every citizen. When we first spoke of self-reliance, people asked whether it would challenge multilateralism… But now the whole world is talking about India’s ‘atmanirbhar’ method,” Modi said as he addressed legislators of both Houses in Parliament’s Central Hall.
#WATCH | Special Session of Parliament | PM Narendra Modi says, "…In the 25 years of Amrit Kaal, India will have to work on a larger canvas. The time for us to get caught up in smaller issues is over. First of all, we will have to meet the goal of becoming Atmanirbhar… pic.twitter.com/zlrTLi6ZVh
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023
Modi also proposed a new name for the old building – “Samvidhan Sadan”. “As we move out of here, we must ensure that this building’s dignity is never brought down. Instead of calling it just the old Parliament, I propose it be named ‘Samvidhan Sadan’ if you all agree,” Modi added. This name, he said, would forever link the building to the great thinkers who sat in the Constituent Assembly here, which was the country’s first provisional Parliament.
The Prime Minister said it was now time to make “the right decisions at the right time for the future”. “We cannot restrict ourselves to just thinking about political benefits… Knowledge and innovation are the demands of the day and we should focus on it. After Chandrayaan-3’s success, our youth is inspired by the science and technology sector. We must not miss this opportunity.”
Modi stressed on the importance of the manufacturing sector, saying the country must become the best in the world. He named this initiative “Zero Defect, Xero Effect”, adding, “There should be zero defects in our products and they should not have an effect on the environment.”
He said every law, every discussion and every message coming out of Parliament should encourage the Indian aspiration. It was the responsibility of leaders, Modi said, urging them to make India’s aspiration a priority.
“Can anyone ever make a big picture on a small canvas? Just as we cannot paint a big picture on a small canvas… in the same way, if we cannot enlarge the canvas of our thinking, we will not be able to paint a picture of a grand India,” the Prime Minister added.
“Yahi samay hai, sahi samay hai,” Modi said to much table-thumping. He said recent events proved that India had “rewoken with a new consciousness. India is filled with a new energy”. He said this energy could change people’s dreams into resolutions, and those resolutions into reality.
Modi also touched upon some significant laws that had been passed in the old Parliament by his ruling NDA, including the abolition of the “Triple Talaq” which gave justice to “Muslim mothers and sisters”.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Chairperson and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, and the Leaders of Opposition in both Houses Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke to legislators at the Central Hall on Tuesday.
The day began with a final photocall of MPs as they gathered in the old building’s forecourt. It was the second day of the five-day special session of Parliament which will discuss the Parliamentary journey of 75 years and other legislative businesses.
Modi has promised “historic decisions” in this session, which moved Tuesday afternoon to the new building, officially designated as the Parliament House of India.
https://x.com/PTI_News/status/1704034481814827406?s=20
Also read: MPs say bye to old Parliament, 96, with photocall; business shifts to new Parliament House of India