Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday lauded the inauguration of the new Parliament complex, hailing it a “magnificent new home for the people who uphold our constitution”.
Shah Rukh Khan posted the video of the new Parliament building, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had initially shared, with his voiceover.
On May 26, PM Modi had tweeted a video providing a glimpse of the new Parliament building.
The video was devoid of any commentary or background music. "I have a special request - share this video with your own voice-over, which conveys your thoughts. I will re-Tweet some of them," PM Modi wrote in the tweet.
Shah Rukh Khan tweeted the video with his voiceover with the background score from the 2004 patriotic movie Swades, in which he played the lead role.
PM Modi responded to SRK’s video and retweeted it. "Beautifully expressed!" Modi wrote.
PM Modi also lauded Bollywood star Akshay Kumar’s video of the Parliament building with his voice-over.
Akshay Kumar called the new Parliament building as "an iconic symbol of India’s growth story."
Resonating with Akshay Kumar’s sentiments, PM Modi said the building reflects the nation's rich heritage.
A few hours prior to the grand inauguration of the new Parliament building on Sunday, PM Modi retweeted several posts.
The video was initially shared by PM Modi on May 26, encouraging people to add their own voice-over and promising to retweet selected submissions.
However, more than 20 opposition parties, including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), AAP, Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Janata Dal (United), have boycotted the ceremony.
According to them the PM’s “decision to inaugurate the new Parliament building by himself, completely sidelining President (Droupadi) Murmu, is not only a grave insult but a direct assault on our democracy,” the 20 Opposition parties have said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will helm a grand ceremony to inaugurate the new parliament building. Constructed at a staggering cost of Rs 971 crore, the state-of-the-art complex is designed to house 888 Lok Sabha members and 300 Rajya Sabha members.
It is worth noting that the Lok Sabha will have the capacity to hold joint sessions and accommodate up to 1,272 members.
The new triangular-shaped building, which is the main point of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, features a constitutional hall and is designed to be accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities ("divyang friendly").
The complex also includes a central lounge area that complements the spacious open courtyard.
Furthermore, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers are symbolically inspired by India's national bird, the peacock, and national flower, the lotus, respectively.