India’s New Parliament

For a long time, Indian officials molded the fate of the world’s largest democracy from Sansad Bhavan, a British-designed parliament building in the heart of Delhi. It’s surroundings and classical architecture reflected foreign tastes.

Now as India moves to a global power status, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the masses to shed a ‘mentality of slavery’. He plans on doing so through billion dollar projects that would modernize the capital. Major government buildings are to be replaced including the Sansad Bhavan. The new parliament complex is expected to see new parliament proceedings in 2023. All these new projects come at a time when India is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The prime minister and BJP have improved India’s physical infrastructure since 2014 with highways, air travel and access to water. Although the BJP have also spent millions of dollars on erecting massive statues depicting Hindu Gods and leaders. This might be in tune with India’s ancient history but critics point out that this reflects an exclusionary mindset that leaves minorities out of the new narrative. This is of importance India was founded on the principle of secularism rather than nationalism.