Explainer | What is US Capitol Hill and what is its Indian equivalent?

U.S. Capitol building. Reuters

Shocking scenes were witnessed in the United States’ capital Washington DC late on Wednesday when a mob of Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Congress and four people were dead.

For the uninitiated, here is all you need to know about the Capitol Hill.

What is Capitol Hill? What is its equivalent in India?

Capitol Hill is home to the US federal government's legislative wing, much like Indian Parliament. The US House of Representatives, the Senate office, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress are located in the Capitol Hill complex.

The white domed Capitol building houses the meeting chambers of the Senate as well as the House of Representatives. Like India's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, these two bodies compose the legislative wing of the American government.

Capitol Election Day
Capitol Hill is home to the US federal government's legislative wing. AP photo

The US Capitol is also a museum of American art and history and the building is used for presidential inaugurations, among other ceremonies of national importance.

What is the difference between Capitol Hill and White House?

While Capitol Hill is the legislative branch of the US government, the White House is the residence cum office of the President of the United States. Capital Hill is located 3km to the east of White House. The White House can be compared to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in India, except that the US president is not a ceremonial head and is vested with a lot of powers than the Indian one.

The United States Capitol
The United States Capitol. AP photo

Who works at Capitol Hill?

Members of Congress work at Capitol Hill with the Chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives both residing inside the cavernous building.

Senators and representatives are chosen through direct elections, although some Senate vacancies can be filled by appointment.

Congress has 535 voting members: 100 senators and 435 representatives.

The House of Representatives also has six non-voting members, bringing the total membership of the Congress to 541.

U.S Capitol
The US Capitol is also a museum of American art and history. AP photo

What makes Capitol Hill so famous?

The construction of the Capitol building began in 1793 and has housed the meeting chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate for two centuries.

The Capitol building and the hill complex stand as a symbol of the American government and is of vast importance to its democracy.

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