Don't shift Parliament to new building, appeals Karan Singh

Senior Congress leader Karan Singh on Monday wrote to Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, appealing not to leave the "beautiful, unique, round" Parliament building and move into a new one, saying that "we will never be able to build such a structure again".

In his letter, Singh, expressing his views regarding the proposed restructuring of Rajpath and Parliament, said: "I am of the confirmed opinion that the beautiful, unique, round Parliament building that we have should, on no account, be abandoned. We will never be able to build such a structure again, as to shift into a modern building will deprive us of the special ambience of the old one."

"In my view, it should be possible for us to shift unnecessary material and offices out of the present building and extend the halls to accommodate more members," he added.

A member of the Jammu and Kashmir's royal family and former Sadr-e-Riyasat, he suggested that the government may consider locating the Lok Sabha in Central Hall where the Constituent Assembly met for several years.

If the Rajya Sabha could be shifted into the Lok Sabha hall, and its old hall could be used as a Central Hall-type lounge for members, Singh said it would be far better than "abandoning this magnificent building which is redolent with history and the memory of our great Constitution-makers and parliamentarians".IANS