*NEW NATIONAL EMBLEM BY JAIPUR SCULPTOR
From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: Opposition parties and activists on Tuesday flayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for distorting the national emblem by replacing the majestic graceful and regally confident lions of the Ashoka regime with the aggressive posture of menacing lions with bared fangs atop the new Parliament building on Monday.
The opposition parties, which protested on Monday for the Prime Minister unveiling privately the makeover of the national emblem as a bronze cast to show a personal glory, without inviting them as part of the Indian Parliament, wanted its immediate removal since “lions with bared fangs” show “aggression,” while the original one sat gracefully. The Opposition expressed shock that Modi flouted constitutional norms by not inviting the opposition leaders to the event.
“Narendra Modi ji, please observe the face of the Lions, whether it is representing the statue of Great Sarnath or a distorted version of GIR lion. Please check it and if it needs, mend the same,” tweeted Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha.
Congress chief spokesman Jairam Ramesh also tweeted that “to completely change the character and nature of the lions on Ashoka’s pillar at Sarnath is nothing but a brazen insult to India’s National Symbol!”
nsult 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 — snaring, unnecessarily aggressive and disproportionate. Shame! Change it immediately,” said Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Jawahar Sirchar on Twitter, sharing two different images of the national emblem.
Historian S Irfan Habib also objected to the emplem put atop the new Parliament building. He said: “Meddling with our national emblem was totally unnecessary and avoidble. Why should our lions look ferocious and full of angst? These are Ashoka’s lions adapted by independent India in 195.”
Stronger was the criticism by Supreme Court lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan. He tweeted: “From Gandhi to Godse; From our national emblem with lions sitting majestically & peacefully; to the new national emblem unveiled for the top of the new Parliament building under construction at Central Vista; Angry lions with bared fangs. This is Modi’s new India!”
In a series of tweets, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said, “Truth be told, transition from Satyameva Jayate to Singhameva Jayate has long been completed in spirit.” She also tweeted side-by-side pictures of the old national emblem and the one on the top of the new Parliament building.
The Opposition hurled a slew of accusations ranging from the absence of opposition leaders, conducting a religious ceremony on Parliament premises and “subverting” the principle of the constitutional separation of powers.
“The Constitution separates powers of Parliament, government and judiciary. As head of the government, the Prime Minister should not have unveiled the national emblem atop the new parliament building,” AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi wrote on Twitter.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore highlighted the absence of the Opposition leaders from the event. Tagging Om Birla, he said, “Hon’ble Speaker sahib, Parliament needs Ruling party and Opposition parties. Where are the Opposition party Leaders? It’s not BJP office I think.”
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majeed Memon also pointed why the government had kept Opposition leaders away from the ceremony. “Not inviting them is a major flaw in a democratic set up,” he said.
NEW NATIONAL EMBLEM BY JAIPUR SCULPTOR
: The government on Tuesday revealed that the new bronze national emblem mounted atop the new Parliament House by the PM was designed and made by Laxman Vyas, a renowned sculptor of Jaipur.
It said 40 other artists were involved in making it and its design was approved by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
Featured photo Caption [ANGRY_LIONS.JPG: Image courtesy Narendra Modi official website]
