New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monumental moment

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the new Parliament House and hoped that this iconic building will "be a cradle of empowerment, and propel India to new heights of progress".

Modi along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the new Parliament House after performing 'puja' and 'havan' at the Parliament premises. He also installed the historic 'Sengol' near the Lok Sabha's Speaker chair in the new building.

Twenty opposition parties, including Congress, boycotted the inauguration ceremony of the new Parliament building.

Modi said that the new Parliament building is a reflection of the aspirations and dreams of 140 crore Indians and this temple of democracy gives the message of India's determination to the world.

He also said that democracy is not just a system for us, it is a culture, an idea, a tradition.

Making his first speech in the new Parliament, Modi said: "In every country's development, there are moments like these which becomes historic. And when India is celebrating 'Azadi ka Amrit Kaal', the people of India have gifted its democracy a new Parliament House."

The Prime Minister also released a stamp and Rs 75 coin in the new Parliament.

Modi said: The new Parliament building will be a testament to the dawn of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). It will be a witness to our journey towards a Viksit Bharat (developed India)."

The event was also attended by former president Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Ministers Y.S. Jagan Reddy, Yogi Adityanath, Eknath Shinde and many others. Even foreign envoys, Parliamentarians and people from different walks of life attended the inauguration ceremony.

The Prime MInister underlined that India is not only a democratic country but also the mother of democracy. "India is also a big base of global democracy today. Democracy is not just a system for us, it is a culture, an idea, a tradition," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that when India moves forward, then the world moves forward. "This new Parliament will also lead to the development of the world through the development of India. It is our good fortune that we have been able to restore the pride of the holy 'Sengol'. Whenever proceedings start in this House, the 'Sengol' will inspire us," Modi said.

Commenting on the installation of 'Sengol' in the Lok Sabha chamber, Modi said, "On this historic day, in this new building of Parliament, pious 'Sengol' has been established. In the Chola empire, it was considered a symbol of the Kartavya path, Seva Path and Rashtra path," he said.

The Prime Minister further said that this new building will become a means of realising the dreams of our freedom fighters. "This new building will witness the sunrise of a self-reliant India. This new building will see the fulfilment of the resolutions of a developed India. This new building is also a perfect example of the coexistence of the new and the old," he said. The Congress on Sunday once again took a swipe at the BJP-led Central government after odi inaugurated the new Parliament House and excluded President Droupadi Murmu from the ceremony, and said that a "self-glorifying authoritarian PM with utter disdain for Parliamentary procedures, who rarely attends Parliament or engages in it, inaugurates the New Parliament building in 2023".