new delhi: Even after a couple of days, the new Ashoka Stambh- National Emblem of India was unveiled by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the top of the new Parliament building, the central government faced a backlash from the opposition parties. Continuing the rant, the like-minded, non NDA parties claimed that it represented the change that India has gone through since 1950.
Indian Youth Congress leader Srinivas BV compared the 'expressions' of lions on two Ashoka Pillars in his Twitter account - the original, and the installed - and taunted that they represent the change in India between 1950 and 2022.
On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also targeted the BJP over the installation and questioned if those 'changing' the national symbol, should be called 'anti-national'. The party's Rajya Sabha MP and the official spokesperson Sanjay Singh said, "I want to ask 130 crore Indians whether those who change the national symbol should speak "anti-national" or not."
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member and former bureaucrat Jawhar Sircar mentioned in his tweet, making a scathing attack on the Modi government, "Insult to our national symbol, the majestic Ashokan Lions. Original is on the left, graceful, regally confident. The one on the right is Modi's version, put above the new Parliament building — snarling, unnecessarily aggressive and disproportionate. Shame! Change it immediately!"
Sircar also mentioned on Monday, on the daqt PM Modi unveiled the Ashoka Pillar- "4 lions of this regime watch as PM lifts the 4 lions of the national emblem on top of the new parliament building. But MPs, who will occupy this building, were never consulted. Modi will now zap us with a mediocre architecture designed by his crony architect— at exorbitant costs."
Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM also criticized the government over the move. While Congress fumed, claiming that the opposition parties were not invited for the ceremony, Owaisi questioned the legalities behind the move.
"The Constitution separates powers of parliament, govt and judiciary. As head of the government, @PMOIndia shouldn't have unveiled the national emblem atop the new parliament building. The Speaker of Lok Sabha represents LS which isn't subordinate to the government. @PMOIndia has violated all constitutional norms," Owaisi said in a tweet.
While, the former Union Minister and senior BJP Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi defended the central government and said, "The pain for the opposition is that Modi is seen with the lion. This is fear, not pain."