From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: No celebration of India’s 75th anniversary of Independence in the historic Central Hall of Parliament unlike special joint sessions or programmes held there on 25th, 50th and 60th anniversaries.
Congress chief spokesman and MP Jairam Ramesh regretted that no function is planned in the Central Hall on the 75th anniversary. He tweeted that the occasion has been limited to shine the image of the “sarvagyani” (omniscient).
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha secretariats inform the MPs about the special functions in the Central Hall through their respective bulletins, but there is no word on the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence. The message is clear that the Prime Minister doesn’t want to involve the Parliamentarians in the anniversary celebrations, but limit everything to his “stuti” (praise) and all follow his call to hoist the Tricolour on every home.
In fact, Prime Minister Modi wants completion of the construction of the new Parliament House as early as possible, maybe by this year-end, and it has no Central Hall unlike the present one which was a place for the MPs, Ministers, former MPs and journalists to interact on the political developments. In the new dispensation, the media has been denied access to the Central Hall.
