Dominic Xavier is mystified by Modi's refusal to halt a scheme whose funds would be better deployed in providing better healthcare -- and yes, free vaccines -- to the Indian people.
The new Parliament building will have a triangular shape and is expected to be completed by the 75th anniversary of India's independence in 2022. The government plans to hold the monsoon session of Parliament in 2022 in the new building.
The Central Public Works Department, which is executing the government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, will soon start the construction work of the new Parliament building once it gets permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee, officials said on Tuesday.
According to the government, it symbolises a shift from erstwhile Rajpath being an icon of power to Kartavya Path being an example of public ownership and empowerment.
One Twitter user sarcastically said, "This virus organism should be given shelter in the Central Vista."
With the lady's retelling of history, it is perhaps time for Narendrabhai's government -- which is already remodelling the central vista in the national capital -- to commission a fresh sculpture to replace Devi Prasad Roy Chowdhury's famous Gyarah Murti sculpture on Sardar Patel Marg -- depicting the Mahatma and 10 other freedom fighters during the Dandi March in Gujarat 90 years ago -- with folks madam says got us Indians freedom seven years ago.
The new Parliament building is expected to be completed by November 2022.
Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore on Tuesday said finishing touches are being given to the new Parliament building and the Lok Sabha Speaker will decide whether the forthcoming Winter Session will be held there or the existing building.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to the new parliament building in New Delhi on Thursday evening and inspected various works as well as interacted with construction workers, sources said.
'But you cannot encroach upon the spaces that belong to the public.' 'For this new Parliament building, we envisage a minimum of 400 trucks, the huge long trailer trucks will be coming in day in and day out right into the heart of the national capital.' 'It will completely destroy Delhi's peace.' 'The beautiful sylvan surroundings of the quiet, beautiful, New Delhi is going to be destroyed for all time to come.'
The visitor returns not just with the jewel-like beauty of the country imprinted on the mind, the body rejuvenated by hot stone massages, but also with the captivating stories and myths that are built into every important structure -- whether a tourist magnet or an off-the-beaten track spot.
"The Central Public Works Department has asked Tata Projects Ltd to start the construction work of the new parliament building on January 15 as it is considered auspicious to commence such a project on the day of first dawn after 'Makar Sankranti'," the official sources said.
Officials also said that sufficient steps have been taken to control air and noise pollution during the construction work for the new parliament building, which will have separate offices for all MPs and those will be equipped with the latest digital interfaces as a step towards creating 'paperless offices'.
Dominic Xavier wonders why the government wants to spend so much money on construction at a time when the money could be put to better use to address and alleviate the agony and misery that so many Indians experience each day.
The defence ministry, in March, had circulated an office memorandum to the three services and various ministries and departments on the planning for the 2024 parade, they said.
The government had aimed at completing the new Parliament building before the winter session which usually starts from the third week of November.
The BJP president also accused Congress leaders, including a chief minister, of trying to actively create vaccine hesitancy during the once-in-a-century pandemic.
So who will be the chief guest at this year's parade on Rajpath (no, it ain't Central Vista yet!)? Dominic Xavier ponders over the question
'Mumbai's corroding infrastructure, Delhi's pollution, Bangalore's rain water drainage, Kolkata's electricity -- these are all real and serious life threatening situations.'
A preview of many of the tableaux, some of which are still being constructed or given finishing touches, was held at the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp in the city.
The sources further said that around five statues, including of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhim Rao Ambedkar, in the Parliament complex are also likely to be relocated temporarily due to the construction work and they will be reinstalled at prominent places within the new complex once the project is completed.
'There is no law or Article in the Constitution that says the prime minister must inaugurate the new Parliament, but Article 79 of the Constitution says the President of India is the competent person.'
'Meddling with our national emblem was totally unnecessary and avoidable'
'Just this year alone, close to 40 major transactions involving Bollywood stars have been recorded.'
They also clarified that both the names Bharat and India, mentioned in Article 1 of the Constitution as "India, that is Bharat...", are part of the country's history and both names are "completely legitimate".
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting five measures to conserve money for the fight against COVID-19, including a complete ban on media advertisements by government and PSUs for two years and suspending the Central Vista beautification project.
President Droupadi Murmu will lead the nation in celebrating the Republic Day, and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will be the chief guest at the ceremonial event.
The vintage artillery with 25-pounder guns that traditionally fires the thundering ceremonial 21-gun salute during the Republic Day celebrations will be replaced by 105 mm Indian field guns this year, as the government makes a further push for its Make in India initiative.
All equipment from the Army which were part of the Republic Day celebrations are made-in-India, Chief of Staff Delhi Area Maj Gen Bhavnish Kumar had earlier said.
Delhi has been wrapped in a security blanket for Tuesday's 77th Independence Day celebrations, with more than 10,000 personnel manning the area in and around the Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation, the police said.
In view of a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Chhattisgarh government on Thursday cancelled tenders for the construction of the new assembly building and also stopped work on major projects in the state.
Historians and conservation architects describe the old edifice as a "repository of India's history" and its "democratic ethos", and an "architectural jewel" of Delhi.
'Saving our economy is a priority.' 'We have to save our people and save our country.'
Opposition leaders and activists have accused the government of distorting the national emblem by replacing the 'graceful and regally confident' Ashokan lions with those having menacing and aggressive posture, and sought immediate change.
'Extinguishing the eternal flame at India Gate is nothing short of a crime'
Delhi police commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Sunday said over 27,000 police personnel have been deployed for Republic Day security duties in the national capital and anti-terror measures intensified.
'Everybody knows that any solution would upstage and expose official bungling.' 'That is something Mrs Sitharaman's masters will not allow.' 'No matter how high the cost in human misery, they will squander a fortune on the unnecessary Central Vista extravaganza,' notes Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
'The Bills (Bharatiya Saksha, Bharatiya Nagarik Sanhita and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) are arbitrary, opaque and ambiguous and structurally quite violent.'
Mongolia can take a lifetime to happen but rewards the intrepid traveller with enduring memories of a surreal, delightful land.
Couples -- young and old -- celebrated Valentine's Day on Tuesday with flowers and gifts even as a few right-wing outfits played spoilsport in some parts of the country.
