Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 28 May, inaugurated the new Parliament building and installed the sceptre ‘Sengol' near the Lok Sabha speaker's chair. A puja and multi-faith prayer were also held to mark the occasion.
Amid a boycott by 20 Opposition parties, the inauguration triggered a series of sharp political reactions by leaders across board.
While PM Modi called the new building a "cradle of empowerment," Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said that the Prime Minister is confusing the inauguration of the Parliament with the "coronation" of a king.
In a tweet, Gandhi said, "Parliament is the voice of the people. The Prime Minister is considering the inauguration of the Parliament House as a coronation."
'My Parliament, My Pride': BJP Netas Celebrate The New Building
In a tweet, PM Modi said that the new Parliament is a symbol of pride, hope, and promise. "May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality. May it propel our great nation to new heights of progress," he wrote.
Several other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Gautam Gambhir, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Tejasvi Surya shared images from the new Parliament and hailed its design along with the vision behind it.
RJD Tweet Draws Sharp Reactions
A tweet by RJD comparing the Parliament design to a coffin drew criticism from several parties.
Sushil Modi, a BJP leader from Bihar, said that a case of treason must be registered against the party. "A case of treason should be registered against such people who have compared the new Parliament building with a coffin," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi also criticised the RJD over the comparison. "RJD has no stand, the old Parliament building did not even have clearance from Delhi Fire Service. Why are they (RJD) calling the Parliament a coffin? They could have said anything else, why do they need to bring this angle?" Owaisi said.
What Others Said
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar questioned the inauguration of the Parliament with a havan and the 'Sengol'. "I saw the event in the morning. I am happy I didn't go there. I am worried after seeing whatever happened there. Are we taking the country backwards? Was this event for limited people only?" Pawar said.
Aam Aadmi Party's Sanjay Singh called the BJP "anti-Dalit and anti-Adivasi" over the President's absence from the ceremony.
"As per the Constitution of India, the President is the head of the Parliament. That they (BJP) did not invite the President to the ceremony shows their anti-Dalit and anti-Adivasi mindset," he said.
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