New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the new Parliament, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that the building should be called the ‘Modi Multiplex’ or ‘Modi Marriot’. “After four days, what I saw was the death of confabulations and conversations—both inside the two Houses and in the lobbies. If architecture can kill democracy, the PM has already succeeded even without rewriting the Constitution”, Jairam Ramesh wrote on X (formerly Twitter), days after Parliament convenes in the new building.

Mocking the design of the new Parliament building, the Congress general secretary said,”Binoculars are needed to see each other since the halls are simply not cozy or compact. The old Parliament building not only had a certain aura but it facilitated conversations. It was easy to walk between Houses, the Central Hall, and the corridors. This new one weakens the bonding needed to make the running of Parliament a success. Quick coordination between the two Houses is now exceedingly cumbersome.”

The new Parliament building launched with so much hype actually realises the PM’s objectives very well. It should be called the Modi Multiplex or Modi Marriot. After four days, what I saw was the death of confabulations and conversations—both inside the two Houses and in the…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 23, 2023

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Drawing a parallel between the old and new Parliament building,  the Congress leader said, “In the old building, if you were lost, you would find your way back again since it was circular. In the new building, if you lose your way, you are lost in a maze. The old building gave you a sense of space and openness while the new one is almost claustrophobic. The sheer joy of simply hanging out in Parliament has disappeared. I used to look forward to going to the old building. The new complex is painful and agonising.”

He added, “I am sure many of my colleagues across party lines feel the same. I have also heard from the staff in the Secretariat that the design of the new building has not considered the various functionalities required to help them do their work. This is what happens when no consultations are done with the people who will use the building. Perhaps a better use for the new Parliament building will be found after regime change in 2024.”

This is not the first time the veteran Congress leader has criticised the construction of the new parliament and Central Vista project. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had earlier said, “From tomorrow afternoon, Parliament will convene in the new building. Hopefully, now at least the Prime Minister will sit more frequently in both Houses. His tenure has been marked by minimum non-customary interventions in Parliament with the worst attendance record of all PMs,” Ramesh stated earlier.