Parliament Special Session: MPs Recall 75-Yr History on Last Day in Old Building

From Kharge to Owaisi, here are the highlights of what MPs said.

The Special Session of Parliament kicked off on Monday, 18 September, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalling the contributions of his predecessors such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Jawaharlal Nehru.

The first sitting of the five-day Special Session saw Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from across parties get candid and sentimental in their remarks, as they bid adieu to the old Parliament building.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the last time in the old Parliament building. Both Houses will reconvene on Tuesday in the new Parliament building that was inaugurated earlier this year.

From Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, here's what MPs said while participating in a special discussion on 'Parliamentary Journey of 75 Years Starting from Samvidhan Sabha – Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings.'

'Congress Strengthened Democracy for 70 Years': Mallikarjun Kharge

Addressing the Rajya Sabha on the first day of the Parliament Session, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Nehru ji believed that the absence of a strong Opposition means that there are significant drawbacks in the system. If there is no strong Opposition, it is not right. Now that there is a strong Opposition, focus is on weakening it through ED and CBI."

"You can see what is happening today. PM comes to the Parliament rarely and when he does he leaves after making it an event," the Congress leader remarked.

"Badalna hai to halatt badlo, aise naam badelne se kya hota hai. Dena hai toh yuvaon ko rozgaar do, sabko berozgaar karke kya hota hai. Dil jo thoda bada karke dekho, logon ko maarne se kya hota hai. Kuch nahi kar sakte toh khursi chodd do, baat baat pe darane se kya hota hai. Apni hukumrani par tumhi guroor hai, logon ko darane se, hamkane se kya hota hai. (If you want to change something, change the condition (of the nation). What will happen by changing the name? If you want to give something, give people employment. What will you achieve by making them unemployed? Have a bigger heart, what will you get by killing people? If you can't do anything, give up the power. What will happen by scaring people?)."

Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge

'Hope We Can Raise Dignity of Parliament': Piyush Goyal

"Today is our last day in this Parliament, I hope we can raise the dignity of our Parliamentary discussions & put out a unified message today," Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal said while addressing the Rajya Sabha.

'No One Is Beyond Parliament's Derogative': Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Speaking about the new Parliament building, the Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: "Architect of modern India - Nehru - had said that parliamentary democracy demands many virtues which are ability, certain devotion to work, and also a large measure of corporation of self discipline and restraint."

"On one hand, we have Jammu and Kashmir, on the other Manipur: a lot more needs to be done," he said.

"Though [Nehru] enjoyed a massive majority in the Parliament, he was tireless in listening to the voice of the Opposition and never mocked or deflected when answering questions...Even the Speaker bell would ring for Jawaharlal Nehru when he exceeded his time limit while making speeches in the Parliament, this shows that no one is beyond Parliament's derogative, that was Nehru's contribution to the development of Parliamentary democracy in India."

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

'Entered Parliament Holding My Father's Hand': Chirag Paswan

"Hours, days and months will be less to discuss the history of this Parliament...But even then, how beautifully our PM described the 75-year journey of the Parliament in brief and he talked about every section, not only the Prime Ministers but every worker who contributed to the smooth working of the Parliament," LJP MP Chirag Paswan told news agency ANI.

He also paid tribute to his father, the late Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, and called for the Women's Reservation Bill to be passed.

'It Is Always an Emotional Moment': Shashi Tharoor

Speaking to news agency ANI, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that the old Parliament building is full of memories.

"Let's hope that the new building has better facilities, new technology and more convenience for the members of the Parliament...But still, it is always an emotional moment to leave an institution which is so full of history and memories," he said.

"We were all a bit confused as to why it was necessary because many many ways, a lot of Bills they have been talking about could have been introduced later. But it is now becoming clear the government wanted to make a special moment out of shifting from one building to another. They have tried to do it in a special way. We can understand the objective there."

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

'PM Modi Spoke Like a Statesman After Long Time': Supriya Sule

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule spoke about PM Modi's wishes, Question Hour decorum, and Private Members' Bills in the special session on 18 September.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, NCP MP Supriya Sule said that even as the prime minister behaved like a statesman, the treasury benches made the narrative political.

"I appreciate the PM for saying that through the years, governance has continued and various people have contributed for the last 7 decades to contribute to this country which we all love equally."

NCP MP Supriya Sule

'India on the Same Path Now as Under British Rule': Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said in the Lok Sabha that if people have to raise voices on the streets, the Parliament will lose its relevance.

"As we remember the 75 years of Independence, it is also necessary to remember the failures of successive governments. First was the anti-Sikh genocide of 1984. Second was the demolition of Babri masjid on 6 December 1992. The destruction of silk business in Bhagalpur, the riots in Muzaffarnagar and Gujarat, the destruction of humanity in Mumbai."

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi

'Give Me Back My Parliament': Derek O'Brien

"Give me back my parliament, give me back my parliament which is not mocked, give me back my parliament which is not undermined, give me back my parliament where prime ministers come and answer questions on the floor of Lok Sabha and on the floor of Rajya Sabha..." said Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien, while addressing the Rajya Sabha.

"On a personal note, we may be going to the new building [...] but so many bonds, so many friendships, so many crossing of ideological barriers, so many times we've condoled with colleagues from different parties who've lost loved ones, or celebrated the births of grandchildren. We used to do this in Central Hall, sir give me back my Parliament. Let's go to the new Parliament but keep our Central Hall alive. Give me back my India, give me back my Bharat."

TMC MP Derek O'Brien