Employees to don NIFT-designed attires in new Parliament building

Staff, marshals and security personnel will wear new uniforms when sessions are held in the new Parliament building from September 19. The government is also providing commando training to the employees writes ETV Bharat's Anamika Ratna.

New Delhi: The new Parliament building will have a new look when it holds its first session next week as the staff and security personnel are set to don new uniforms. Along with changing the attires, the government is giving commando training to the employees to bring in a change in their behaviour.

The new uniform has been designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). The existing 'bandhgala' suit has been replaced with magenta coloured Nehru jacket. The employees will wear dark pink coloured shirts with design of lotus flower and khaki trousers. The employees sitting in front of the Speaker will don the same attire.

Also, the uniform of the marshals of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have been changed. Along with dark pink shirts with lotus flower design and khaki trousers, marshals will wear Manipuri turbans. The security personnel will wear Army camouflage uniforms in place of their existing suits.

Many Opposition leaders raised objections to the new uniforms. Congress leader Rashid Kidwai alleged that the government has some agenda for which, the uniform has been replaced. "If changes are to be made then why is there lotus flower design? Does the BJP government want to turn the entire country saffron?" Kidwai asked.

Echoing the same, RJD leader Manoj Jha accused the Centre of saffronisation and agenda politics in Parliament, which is considered a representative democracy. "The government is trying to make the staff and security personnel wear the dress of their party," he added.

Meanwhile, the government is also conducting commando training of the employees wherein they have been told to be cautious about their behavior and conduct. They have been asked to be completely familiar with the new Parliament building.

According to sources, the formal entry in the new Parliament building will be done after a puja on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on September 19. The special session that has been called on September 18 is likely to be held in the old Parliament building itself.