Seva Teerth, Kartavya Bhawans built to fulfil aspirations of Indians, not of any monarch: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan 1 and 2 in New Delhi, asserting that the new office complexes symbolise the government's firm resolve to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat, underlining the vision of a modern, people-centric governance system.

On the occasion, he also released a commemorative postage stamp and coin.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said, "Today, we all are witnessing a new history being made. This day of 13th February is witnessing a new beginning in India's development journey. Today, we are all entering Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhavan with the resolve to achieve 'Viksit Bharat'. We have the divine blessings of achieving our goals."

Taking a sharp dig at the colonial legacy, PM Modi said that South Block and North Block were constructed with the intention of keeping India "under colonial shackles for centuries." He noted that even the decision to shift India’s capital from Kolkata was part of the British imperial design.

"After independence, buildings like South Block and North Block were the catalysts for many important decisions and policies for the country. But it's also true that these buildings were built as symbols of the British Empire. Their purpose was to keep India bound in the shackles of slavery for centuries," he said.

"India's capital was moved from Kolkata to buildings on Raisina Hill that were built according to the wishes of British royalty," he said, adding that independent India is now reshaping its administrative spaces to reflect democratic values,



national aspirations, and a future-oriented outlook.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the new governance complexes symbolise a decisive break from colonial-era thinking and represent India’s journey towards self-confidence, efficiency, and development.

PM Modi said that the century-old administrative buildings had outlived their utility and were no longer suited to the needs of a modern India. "These 100-year-old buildings were becoming dilapidated. They lacked space and basic facilities and were inadequate to meet the requirements of a new nation," the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting the shift away from colonial-era thinking, PM Modi said he took pride in the fact that the newly built Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhawans were designed to reflect the aspirations of the people of India. "I can say with pride that Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhawans have been built to fulfil the aspirations of Indians, not those of any monarch," he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that abandoning a colonial mindset is essential to achieving the goal of a developed India. "In this journey of Viksit Bharat, it is necessary to shed the colonial mindset," he asserted.

He also termed it unfortunate that prominent roads and landmarks in independent India continued to carry colonial-era names for decades. "It was unfortunate that the road along the Prime Minister’s residence was called Race Course Road and the one leading to the President’s House was named Rajpath," PM Modi said, reiterating the need to align national symbols with India’s democratic values and identity.