The inauguration of India’s new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday was marred by political controversy as the Congress party, along with 18 other political parties, decided to boycott the ceremony. In a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh labeled Modi as a “self-glorifying authoritarian PM” with disdain for parliamentary procedures.
Ramesh took to Twitter, highlighting the historical significance of the day and criticizing the Prime Minister’s role in the event. He mentioned that on this day, in 1964, Jawaharlal Nehru, who played a pivotal role in nurturing parliamentary democracy in India, was cremated. Ramesh juxtaposed this with the birth of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in 1883, a controversial figure whose ideological ecosystem was linked to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.
Adding fuel to the fire, Ramesh also pointed out that President Droupadi Murmu, the first Adivasi (tribal) President of India, was not allowed to fulfill her constitutional duties and inaugurate the new Parliament building. He accused the Prime Minister of disrespecting parliamentary procedures and rarely engaging in parliamentary activities.
The opposition parties, including the Congress, expressed their discontent with the Prime Minister inaugurating the new Parliament building instead of the President. They argued that the President should have been given the honor, further intensifying their boycott of the event.
The controversy took a sharper turn when the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) likened the architecture of the new Parliament building to a coffin. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in a swift retaliation, posted a picture on social media juxtaposing a coffin with the Parliament building, suggesting that the RJD would be buried in such a coffin in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Tempers flared as both parties exchanged sharp words. RJD leader Shakti Yadav accused PM Modi of burying democracy, while BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia vowed that the people of the country would bury the opposition parties in the same metaphorical coffin and deny them entry into the new temple of democracy.
The BJP also demanded that a case of treason be registered against those who compared the new Parliament building to a coffin, further escalating tensions between the two political factions.
As the controversy rages on, it highlights the deep divisions and political animosity prevailing in the country. The boycott of the inauguration ceremony and the exchange of heated words underscore the polarization and challenges faced by India’s democratic system. It remains to be seen how these developments will shape the political landscape in the run-up to the 2024 general elections.