In a recent interview at the Capital Dialogue programme organised by the Sunday Guardian and NewsX, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, expressed his belief that the new Parliament building will be a subject of discussion in the future. He emphasised that the old Parliament building was ill-suited to the needs of a rapidly growing country, even after many years of independence.
Addressing criticisms of the Central Vista Project, Puri criticised the actions of those who approached the court seeking to halt the project, accusing them of attempting to disrupt the work. He clarified that the claims of extensive tree removal were baseless and allowed the project to proceed. Puri’s defence of the project was grounded in the support received from various leaders, including former Speaker Meira Kumar and Congress leader Jayaram Ramesh, who had written about the necessity of a new parliament building.
Speaking on the issue, Puri expressed regret that certain leaders chose not to participate in the moment of celebration, despite the long-standing demand for a new parliament building. He praised the political determination of the visionary team behind the project and highlighted the historical context of the old building, conceptualised in 1912 and operationalized in 1926 as a council chamber of the colonial past.
When questioned about the opposition’s absence at the inauguration, Puri confirmed that opposition parties were invited, including former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, but they did not attend, potentially to avoid embarrassment.
Puri also took the opportunity to criticise Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asserting that he could not recall any instance where a leader had criticised India on foreign soil. He further stated that Rahul Gandhi pales in comparison to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Regarding the recent assembly elections in Karnataka, Puri acknowledged the setback and stated that the party would reflect on the reasons for the defeat and take corrective measures.
Responding to questions about police action against protesting wrestlers, Puri defended the government’s actions, stating that the protesters were taken into custody due to their violation of the law. He emphasised that cases have been filed and that the law should be allowed to take its course.
While avoiding a direct response to a hypothetical question about delimitation and an increase in parliamentary seats, Puri acknowledged the concerns of southern states, suggesting that they would be taken into account if such an exercise were to be pursued.
In conclusion, Puri expressed optimism about India’s future development, predicting that with the current rate of growth, the country has the potential to become a developed nation by 2047, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of India’s independence.
However, Puri did not shy away from blaming the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for the rise in fuel prices.
He argued that while the opposition has the right to oppose the government’s policies, their approach has a diminishing rate of return.
As the new Parliament building stands as a symbol of India’s progress, it remains to be seen how it will shape the political discourse in the years to come.
