Lok Sabha Speaker Om Bira described Parliament as a living symbol of the culture of dialogue, stating that in the last 75 years, amid the agreements and disagreement between various parties, decisions were taken collectively in the interest of the nation and through parliamentary deliberations; laws were made for socio-economic changes in the lives of the people.
He made these remarks while chairing the proceedings on the first day of the Special Session of Parliament, and the last day on which the Lok Sabha would convene in the old building of Parliament before shifting to the new. “Even in times of disaster and crisis, the House has faced them with solidarity and commitment,” he said.
He also expressed hope that all Members of Parliament will be entering the new Parliament House with “renewed hopes and expectations”. “I have full confidence that India’s democracy will reach new heights in the new building,” he said.
“This Parliament House has witnessed the historic moment of independence; making of the Constitution of India and the glorious democratic journey of the modern nation,” he said.
He recalled the contributions of his predecessors in the Speaker’s chair. “As the first Speaker of the country’s highest democratic institution, Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar established the Rules Committee, Privileges Committee, Business Advisory Committee and many other parliamentary committees and laid the foundation of the highest traditions within the House. All 16 former Speakers then went to establish the best traditions of Parliament,” he said.
