My new India will not be saffron, fractious, intolerant: Kapil Sibal's swipe at PM Modi remarks at new Parliament building inauguration

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal. File Pic

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks at the new Parliament building inauguration, saying freedom of thought with the aspirational underpinnings of 1.4 billion minds and not bricks and mortar will make his "new India".

In a tweet, Kapil Sibal cited the prime minister's remarks at inauguration of the new Parliament building during which he invoked the new India.

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"Not brick and mortar but freedom of thought with the aspirational underpinnings of 1.4 b minds, where ideas flourish, colours splash. Not: Saffron, Fractious, Intolerant, will make my new India," Kapil Sibal said.

Sibal, who was a Union minister during the UPA 1 and UPA 2 governments, quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support. He recently floated the non-electoral platform 'Insaaf', aimed at fighting injustice.

PM Modi on Sunday described the inauguration of the new Parliament building as an "immortalised" moment in the country's development journey, asserting that it will mark the dawn of a self-reliant and developed India which will also inspire the progress of other nations.

In a speech delivered from the grand Lok Sabha hall decorated in a peacock motif, PM Modi said the new Parliament building reflected the aspirations and resolve of the "new India" to set and work towards achieving greater heights.

PM Modi inaugurated a sleek new Parliament building to revamp India's decrepit colonial-era center of government in New Delhi marking a "new era for the Indian Parliament and Democracy".

He installed the historic 'Sengol' right next to the speaker of Lok Sabha speaker's chair. Vedic rituals and 'sarva dharma prarthana' (multi-faith prayer) ceremony were also held at the occasion.

Asserting that the new Parliament will give new energy and strength to the largest democracy in the world, the Prime Minister said that it is the resolution of 140 crore Indians that consecrates the Parliament.

The new Parliament building is designed to enable 888 members to sit in the Lok Sabha. In the present building of the Parliament, there is a provision for the sitting of 543 Members in the Lok Sabha and 250 in the Rajya Sabha.

Keeping in view the future requirements, arrangements have been made for a meeting of 888 members in the Lok Sabha and 384 members in the Rajya Sabha in the newly constructed building of the Parliament. The joint session of both Houses will be held in the Lok Sabha Chamber.

(With inputs from PTI an ANI)