Samvidhan Sadan: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Erstwhile seat of the Parliament of India in Delhi}}

{{about|Samvidhan Sadan (Old Parliament House)|New Parliament House|New Parliament House, New Delhi}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}

{{Infobox historic building

| name            = Samvidhan Sadan

| native_name      = {{IAST|संविधान सदन}}

| native_name_lang = sa

| former_name      = Parliament House

| logo            =  

| logo_size        =  

| logo_caption    =  

| alternate_names  = Old Parliament Building

| status           = Retired and waiting for heritage restoration

| image            = New Delhi government block 03-2016 img3.jpg

| image_size      =  

| caption          = Old Parliament House, seen from [[Rajpath|Kartavya Path]]

| map_type        = India New Delhi

| building_type    = Heritage

| architectural_style = [[Lutyens' Delhi]]

| cost            =  

| current_tenants  = Museum of Indian Democracy

| location_country = {{flag|India}}

| coordinates      = {{coord|28.6172|77.2081|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}

| groundbreaking_date = 1921 by [[Duke of Connaught]]

| start_date      = 1921

| completion_date  = 18 February 1927

| opened_date      = 18 February 1927 by [[Viceroy of India]] [[Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax|Irwin]]

| inauguration_date =  

| floor_count      =  

| seating_capacity = 790

| architect        = {{ubl|[[Edwin Lutyens]]|[[Herbert Baker]]}}

| services_engineer =

| civil_engineer  =  

| other_designers  =

| quantity_surveyor =  

| main_contractor  =  

| highest_next    =

The building was designed by British architects [[Edwin Lutyens]] and [[Herbert Baker]] and was constructed between 1921 and 1927. It was opened in January 1927 as the seat of the [[Imperial Legislative Council]]. Following the British withdrawal from India, it was taken over by the [[Constituent Assembly of India]], and then by the Indian Parliament once [[Constitution of India|India's Constitution]] came into force on 26 January 1950 with India becoming a republic.<ref name="HT20">{{Cite news|title=New Parliament complex may seat 1,350 members|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-parliament-complex-may-seat-1-350-members/story-KThUBY2psc9rBVjc5BvxvN.html|author=Anisha Dutta|date=31 January 2020|access-date=1 February 2020}}</ref>

[[New Parliament House, New Delhi|The New Parliament House]], built near this building on a triangular plot from 2020 to 2023 was inaugurated on 28 May 2023. It was built as part of the Indian government's [[Central Vista Redevelopment Project]].

== History ==

[[File:Parliament House, British India (1926).png|thumb|left|The circular House of Parliament at [[New Delhi]] in 1926, home of the Central Legislative Assembly]]

 

The building was designed by the British architects [[Sir Edwin Lutyens]] and [[Sir Herbert Baker]] in 1912-1913, and completed in 1927.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ghosal |first=Jayanta |title=Sansad Bhavan to be revamped; all MPs to get separate offices |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/sansad-bhavan-mps-room-parliament-house-building-modi-vision-552852 |publisher=India TV |access-date=26 October 2020 |date=27 September 2019}}</ref>

 

The foundation stone was laid by HRH [[Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn]], in February 1921. It took five years to complete the building. On 18 January 1927, Sir [[Bhupendra Nath Mitra]], Member of the Governor-General's Executive Council, in charge of the Department of Industries and Labour, invited [[Edward Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax|Lord Irwin]], then [[Viceroy of India]] to inaugurate the building. The third session of [[Central Legislative Assembly]] was held in this house on 19 January 1927.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the Parliament of Delhi|url=http://delhiassembly.nic.in/history_assembly.htm|publisher=delhiassembly.nic.in|access-date=13 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acoBAAAAMAAJ&q=sir+bhupendra+nath+mitra+bank+of+india&pg=PA1054|title = Delhi Gazetteer|last1 = Chopra|first1 = Prabha|year = 1976}}</ref>  

After independence, the house served as the seat of the [[Constituent Assembly of India|Constituent Assembly]] from 1947–1950. The [[Constitution of India]] was created here, under the presidency of [[Rajendra Prasad]].  

[[File:Jawaharlal Nehru addressing the constituent assembly in 1946.jpg|thumb|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]] addressing the constituent assembly in 1946]]

Two floors were added to the structure in 1956 due to a demand for more space.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Patel |first1=Shivam |last2=Lakhani |first2=Somu |date=24 January 2020 |title=Diversity, efficiency, flexibility: The brief for redeveloping New Delhi's Central Vista |language=en |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/central-vista-project-new-delhi-dr-bimal-patel-parliament-prime-minister-office-rajpath-6212011/ |access-date=5 January 2021}}</ref> In subsequent years it got some renovations. Air conditioners, digital screens and a digital voting system were added.

The [[Parliament Museum]], opened in 2006, stands next to the Parliament House, in the building of the Parliamentary Library.

The perimeter of the building is circular, with 144 columns on the outside. At the centre of the building is the circular Central Chamber, and surrounding this Chamber are three semicircular halls that were constructed for the sessions of the [[Chamber of Princes]] (now used as the Library Hall), the [[Council of State (India)|State Council]] (now used for the [[Rajya Sabha]]), and the [[Central Legislative Assembly]] (now used for the [[Lok Sabha]]). The parliament is surrounded by large gardens and the perimeter is fenced off by sandstone railings (''jali'').<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/parliament-house-144-pillars-of-pride/story-UBRQJ3tqmspQR34gkx1O2K.html|title=Parliament House: 144 pillars of pride|date=7 June 2011|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=20 August 2018|language=en}}</ref>

The current building is planned to be converted into a ''Museum of Democracy'' after the new Parliament House is operational.<ref>{{cite news |title=Construction of new Parliament building: Shaping the Central Vista |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/shaping-the-central-vista/2171809/ |access-date=16 January 2021 |work=The Financial Express |date=16 January 2021}}</ref>

Proposals for a [https://centralvista.gov.in/new-parliament-building.php new parliament building] to replace Parliament House emerged in the early 2010s as a result of questions being asked about the stability of the original structure.<ref name="TOI12">{{cite news|title=Delhi may see a new Parliament building|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-13/india/32662416_1_heritage-building-parliament-house-mantralaya-fire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715063551/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-13/india/32662416_1_heritage-building-parliament-house-mantralaya-fire|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 July 2012|access-date=13 December 2013|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=13 July 2012}}</ref> In 2012, a committee was assembled by the then-[[Speaker of the Lok Sabha|Speaker]], [[Mira Kumar]], to suggest and assess several alternatives to the usage of the building.<ref>{{cite web|author=Firstpost |url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/speaker-sets-up-panel-to-suggest-new-home-for-parliament-377345.html |title=Speaker sets up panel to suggest new home for Parliament |publisher=Firstpost |date=13 July 2012 |access-date=15 August 2012}}</ref>

In 2019, the Indian government launched the [[Central Vista Redevelopment Project]], a multi-billion dollar project to redevelop the [https://centralvista.gov.in/ Central Vista], India's central administrative area near [[Raisina Hill, New Delhi]]. The construction of a new parliament building, as well as redeveloping the [[Rajpath]] will create a new office and residence for the Indian prime minister, as well as combining all ministerial buildings in a single [https://centralvista.gov.in/common-central-secretariat.php central secretariat].<ref name="Drishti">{{Cite news|date=23 April 2020|title=Central Vista Redevelopment Project|work=Drishti IAS|url=https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/central-vista-redevelopment-project|access-date=22 September 2020}}</ref>

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new building was held in October 2020 and the foundation stone was laid on 10 December 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Groundwork For New Parliament Building Begins, To Be Completed In 22 Months |url=https://www.bloombergquint.com/politics/groundwork-for-new-parliament-building-begins-to-be-completed-in-22-months |access-date=6 March 2021 |work=BloombergQuint |date=1 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="TIEDec">{{Cite news|last=Mathew|first=Liz|date=6 December 2020|title=PM Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament building on December 10|newspaper=The Indian Express|location=New Delhi|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-modi-to-lay-foundation-stone-for-new-parliament-building-on-december-10-7093362/|access-date=6 December 2020}}</ref>

==Museum of Democracy==

[[File:Barack Obama at Parliament of India in New Delhi addressing Joint session of both houses 2010.jpg|thumb| US President [[Barack Obama]] addresses the Parliament of India at the Central Hall in 2010]]

 

After the inauguration of the [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|New Parliament House]], this old parliament building was converted to a ''Museum of Democracy''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/new-parliament-building-may-not-be-called-parliament-house-may-get-a-new-name-article-100487418 | title=New Parliament Building May Not be Called Parliament House, May Get a New Name | date=25 May 2023 }}</ref>

 

==Incidents==

===Bombing by Bhagat Singh===

At 8 April 1929, [[Hindustan Socialist Republican Association]] (HSRA) revolutionary [[Bhagat Singh]] threw low-intensity bombs from visitors' gallery into the hall of the Central Legislative Assembly (later, the chamber of the Lok Sabha). [[Batukeshwar Dutt]] was also with him, but did not throw any bomb. Both of them hurled pamphlets and shouted slogans against the British government such as "Down with imperialism!", "[[Workers of the world, unite!]]", and "Long live the Revolution!". They were arrested. Singh, who was the mastermind, was inspired by French [[Anarchism|anarchist]] [[Auguste Vaillant]] who had bombed the French [[Chamber of Deputies (France)|Chamber of Deputies]] in the year 1893. HSRA's revolutionaries intended to spread ideas of revolution and inspire Indians to fight against the Government. Due to the explosions, minor injuries were inflicted on the people sitting in the chamber.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Remembering...|url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/remembering-bhagat-singh-on-his-110th-birth-anniversary/bombing-of-the-assembly/slideshow/60868938.cms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529051914/https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/remembering-bhagat-singh-on-his-110th-birth-anniversary/bombing-of-the-assembly/slideshow/60868938.cms |archive-date=May 29, 2023 |website= [[The Economic Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Simon was present...when hurled bombs |url=https://www.theprint.in/india/simon-was-present-in-central-assembly-when-bhagat-singh-batukeshwar-dutt-hurled-bombs-archives/908623/%3famp |url-status=live |website=[[The Print]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527183430/https://theprint.in/india/simon-was-present-in-central-assembly-when-bhagat-singh-batukeshwar-dutt-hurled-bombs-archives/908623/?amp |archive-date=May 27, 2023 }}</ref>  

===2001 terror attack===

{{Further|2001 Indian Parliament attack}}

On 13 December 2001, five terrorists from [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]] (LeT) and [[Jaish-e-Mohammed]] (JeM) - two [[Pakistan]]-raised terrorist organisations - entered the grounds of Parliament and attempted to invade the building. They were all killed outside the building. The attack led to the deaths of six [[Delhi Police]] personnel, two [[Parliament Security Services]] personnel, and a gardener – nine others in total – and led to increased tensions between India and Pakistan, resulting in the [[2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff|2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Terrorists attack Parliament; five intruders, six cops killed|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/dec/13parl1.htm|access-date=13 December 2013|newspaper=rediff.com|date=13 December 2001}}</ref>

File:Lord Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes.jpg|[[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Lord Mountbatten]] addressing the [[Chamber of Princes]] as [[Viceroy of India|Viceroy]] in 1947.

File:Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai listens to Jimmy Carter as he addresses the Indian Parliament House. - NARA - 177385.tif|Indian Prime Minister [[Morarji Desai]] listens to [[President of the United States|U.S President]] [[Jimmy Carter]] as he addresses the Indian Parliament House in 1978.

File:Inside Indian Parliament.jpg|Erstwhile [[Lok Sabha]] chamber.

</gallery>

* [[List of political parties in India]]

== References ==

[[Category:Herbert Baker buildings and structures]]