Is there a need to build democratic duplicates?

India based its parliamentary system on the British one, but is the British government taking a cue from India when it comes to the Parliament? The building, that is. For years, there has been talk of the existing iconic round Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi built in 1927 showing “signs of stress”. Now its considerably older British counterpart at Westminster is also being readied for an overhaul. And the current leader of the House of Commons, MP Andrea Leadsom is championing the idea of building a brand new one, not unlike the plans in India to erect an additional Parliament House across Vijay Chowk. Only, the one in London apparently aims to be £200 million ‘replica Commons’ — in case the older one falls prey to fire or a terror attack. That reasoning could be applied to many other buildings in the UK and elsewhere, especially legislatures.

Hopefully, the US will not decide on a replica of Capitol Hill in some safe location in Maryland or Virginia on the same grounds. India is naturally chary of “duplicates”, so any new construction will probably not be a copy of the original. Indian-origin British MP Shailesh Vara, however, has come up with the best and most economical suggestion: stay put and let the Parliament building(s) be repaired. After all, MPs everywhere are no strangers to prolonged noise and rattling.