The inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha commenced on Monday with prominent leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh taking their oaths as Members of Parliament.
Several Union Ministers including Sarbananda Sonowal, G. Kishan Reddy, Chirag Paswan, Kiren Rijiju, Nitin Gadkari, and Mansukh Mandaviya also took their oaths as members of the 18th Lok Sabha. Union Ministers Bhupender Yadav, Giriraj Singh, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, JD(U) MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh, BJP MP Piyush Goyal, and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were among others who also took the oath.
Addressing the media outside the new Parliament building, PM Modi congratulated the newly elected members and stressed the government's commitment to inclusivity and consensus-building for national service.
"Today is a proud day in parliamentary democracy; it is a day of glory. For the first time since independence, this oath ceremony is taking place in our new Parliament. Till now, this process used to take place in the old house. On this important day, I heartily welcome all the newly elected MPs, congratulate them all, and wish them all the best," PM Modi said.
PM Modi thanked the citizens for their support, enabling his government to serve for a third consecutive term.
"This formation of Parliament is to fulfil the resolutions of the common man of India. This is an opportunity to achieve new speed and new heights with new zeal and enthusiasm. The 18th Lok Sabha is starting today with the goal of building a developed India by 2047," he said.
"It is a matter of pride for every Indian that the world's biggest election was conducted in such a grand and glorious manner. More than 65 crore voters took part in the voting. If the citizens of our country have trusted a government for the third consecutive time, it means they have given their stamp of approval to the policies and intent of the government. I am grateful to each of you for your support and trust," PM Modi said.
Highlighting the importance of consensus in governance, PM Modi stressed that while a majority is necessary to run the government, consensus is crucial for the nation's progress.
"In the last 10 years, we have always tried to implement a tradition because we believe that a majority is required to run the government, but to run the country, a consensus is of utmost importance. So, it will be our constant efforts to serve Maa Bharti and fulfil the aspirations and ambitions of the 140 crore people, with everyone's consent and by taking everyone together. We want to go ahead and speed up decisions by taking everyone together and by maintaining the sanctity of the Constitution," the Prime Minister said.
In conclusion, PM Modi urged the opposition to uphold democratic values and contribute meaningfully to parliamentary discussions, stressing the need for substantive contributions over mere slogans.
"The country hopes and expects the opposition to maintain the dignity of our democracy. In a parliamentary session, people expect their representatives to debate and discuss issues that are important to the country. They don't expect disturbances or hindrances in the parliamentary proceedings. People want substance, not slogans. The country needs a strong and responsible opposition. I am certain that in the 18th Lok Sabha, we will together rise to the expectations of our country, he said.
