I had the opportunity to attend the Lok Sabha proceedings on July 2, 2024, and I am really overwhelmed and fascinated by the experience, so much so that it still feels unreal. I saw the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi ji, from about 10 feet away, as well as the Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, and many other prominent leaders including the Home Minister Shri Amit Shah ji, and the Speaker of the House Shri Om Birla ji. It was amazing, and here are some of the stories I’d like to share with you all.
As we entered the parliament, we were not allowed to take our mobile phones, wallets, or essentially any digital devices into the building. We actually had a Speaker's Gallery pass with no time written on it, which confused many CISF officers because our pass permitted whole day access. After explaining that the MP who gave us the pass allowed full day access, they verified and escorted us into the building. We passed through one security checkpoint and had to go through three more screenings before entering the gallery.
The moment we entered the gallery, I was stunned by seeing the Lok Sabha in real life for the first time. Minutes later, the Speaker, Shri Om Birla ji, entered and the proceedings started. The first speaker was Akhilesh Yadav (UP). I was so amazed that I started talking to my friend about all those MPs, and then a CISF officer came to us and told us not to point or speak loudly. I was like, "Oh, okay, sorry." lol. But it was fascinating to see all those MPs in real life and hear them speak.
I saw Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, and Kiren Rijiju ji! It took me about half an hour to really digest the moment. It was really fun. It's like, if one person says anything critical about the other party, the entire alliances start shouting at one another. It was crazy, but I really enjoyed it.
After sitting for 2 hours straight, I started to get a little bored. So, I went outside (just to check if they'd let me outside lol), drank some water, and came back. Then I started feeling bored again.
This time, I asked my friend to come with me and explore the parliament building. We went downstairs and reached the Central Hall, where there was a Foucault Pendulum. I loved its concept. The ceiling had a design of the stars' positions over Delhi skies on January 26, 1950. That was a smart idea.
Apart from that, there was a cultural gallery telling the story of Indian history from the start to the present. And guess what, in the center of the gallery, there was a replica of the Original Constitution of India! There were digital tablets everywhere for people to read more about the exhibits.
Kangana Ranaut just passed behind us!! At first glance, I didn't realize it was her, but then I looked closely and it was her. She walks very fast, lol. I wanted to talk to her, so I followed her until she went into a restricted area reserved for MPs only.
We were standing at the gates of Lok Sabha and guess what, Shri Arun Govil ji (Ram ji from Ramayan) came and stood right next to us. I was amazed and confused; I didn't know he was an MP too. I was confused about his name being Arun Govil or Arun Govind. Asking him would have been weird. Now, I regret not talking to him. I was right there, standing next to him, and didn't say a word because I was too shy. I regret that.
It turns out that press people and others with high security clearance were allowed to bring cell phones into the complex. So, we started talking to a presswoman, and she was really nice to us. We talked about the proceedings and all that stuff. She took our photos and sent them to us.
Actually, we talked to two press people. The second one clicked the photos. The first one was so professional and charismatic that we were totally engaged in conversation with her and forgot to ask her to click our photos. lol.
We also accidentally went into the PM zone, but the security sent us back. There were three beautiful gateways leading to different parts of the building. It was like a maze, but we walked so much that we almost memorized the entire map lol.
We ate lunch at the MP's Guests Dining. Surprisingly, the food was paid but not expensive at all—only ₹100 for a full thali. But we didn't have our phones or any wallet with us. We tried calling the MP who gave us the pass, but he didn't pick up. So, we asked the staff if we could pay later, and the guy was nice and agreed. So, we ate lunch (it was tasty!). And now was the time for the Prime Minister of India to come in!!! Damn, we were excited!
Actually, his speech was at 4 PM, and we ridiculously came 1.5 hours early. So, we were just sitting there, waiting for him to come. Boredom was at its peak. But then, during Shri Manoj Tiwari ji's speech, the PM entered, and the entire Lok Sabha stood up, clapping and shouting "Modi! Modi!" It suddenly energized the entire room. After Manoj ji's speech, the speaker called the honorable Prime Minister to speak.
And man, as he stood up, the whole opposition started protesting against him. They literally came out of their seats and started shouting slogans... and they did it for the entire PM's speech! It was crazy. But the PM was so calm and composed, he didn't even flinch. He just kept on speaking. It was literally impossible to hear what he was saying without headphones.
I can't believe it. I used to think PM Modi was unreal because you know, he holds such a high post that no normal person could ever see him in real life. But I did.
After the PM's speech was over, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.
I literally ran out of the gallery to the Lok Sabha gate downstairs. Immediately after going down, I saw our Finance Minister Shrimati Nirmala Sitharaman ji coming out of the Lok Sabha. She also walked very fast. Anyways, I waited to see the PM coming out, but his bodyguards were so strict that they didn't let anyone come near him. So, I just saw him from about 10 feet away. And then he went to his office with them. (But I did say hi to him, lol)
During that time, I also saw Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, Piyush Goyal, Kiren Rijiju, and other ministers up close.
Then they all left, so we did too.
We collected our phones and waited for our ride to come. By that time, we went into the Rashtrapati Bhavan area to click some photos, but the security got pissed off and told us not to click photos there. So, we left.
And then the cab arrived, and we went back to our homes. That was one hell of an experience, once in a lifetime kind.
I am always ready to serve my motherland, for there's nothing more important than her. I am dedicated to finding innovative solutions to the problems our country faces, and I hope that one day, I will be able to contribute to the development of our nation in a meaningful way.
Jai Hind! Jai Bharat! 🇮🇳
Go to top