Tharoor calls new Parliament building 'soulless conference centre', lacking in intimacy
There is a sort of distancing, which almost seems to be a metaphor for the polarisation of our politics, says Congress MP Shashi Tharoor
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticized the new Parliament building on August 20, 2026, calling it a "soulless conference centre" that lacks intimacy. He argued that the design, with its high ceilings and fan-like layout, encourages distancing rather than the cozy interactions that defined the old chambers. Tharoor linked this distancing to the polarisation of Indian politics.
The four-time Thiruvananthapuram MP, who criticized the building's design for reducing informal exchanges and cross-party camaraderie, also expressed concerns over the proposed increase in the Lok Sabha's membership to 850 members, warning that such a move would diminish the spirit of meaningful parliamentary discussion. While acknowledging the inconvenience of the old seating arrangement, Tharoor did not praise the new building's aesthetics, highlighting the importance of content and substance in parliamentary discourse over physical appearances.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
