“Angry, Insecure, Vengeful”: Opposition, Netizens Criticise National Emblem Unveiled By PM Modi

Not just the Opposition slammed the Prime Minister but also the citizens for unveiling the National Emblem

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the national emblem, placed at the top of the new Parliament building. He was accused of turning the ceremony, attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Housing Minister Hardeep Puri, into a personal event. The opposition slammed Modi by questioning the Constitutional Proprietary and calling the sculpture’s unveiling a “clear violation of the Constitutional norms”.

“Parliament and the national emblem belong to the people of India and not one man. Imagine if the leaders of all major parties were present at the inauguration today, swearing to uphold the Constitution. But why ruin the photo for our Shahenshah?” tweeted Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said: “As head of the government, the Prime Minister shouldn’t have unveiled the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. The Speaker represents LS, which isn’t subordinate to the government. The Prime Minister has violated all constitutional norms.”

The CPM also objected to the religious ceremony organised at the event. CPI general secretary D Raja said Parliament belonged to everyone and wondered “how a personal event” was organised there. “Also, Parliament is neutral so why bring religious functions into it?” he said.

Hitting back, the BJP said the allegations of the opposition parties are politically motivated. But, it wasn’t just the political parties who criticised PM ,there were many people who went on tweeting as the Emblem didn’t seem to be the way it originally was. 

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has 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!”

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! pic.twitter.com/cWAduxPlWR

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) July 12, 2022

TMC MP Jawhar Sircar tweeted, “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  new Parliament building — snarling, unnecessarily aggressive and disproportionate. Shame! Change it immediately!” 

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 new Parliament building — snarling, unnecessarily aggressive and disproportionate. Shame! Change it immediately! pic.twitter.com/luXnLVByvP

— Jawhar Sircar (@jawharsircar) July 12, 2022

A twitter user named Advaid has tweeted: “Since when did Ashoka’s lions bare their fangs? And they never snarled before.”

Since when did Ashoka’s lions bare their fangs? 🙄 And they never snarled before. pic.twitter.com/BLDbwnuUjH

— Advaid അദ്വൈത് (@Advaidism) July 12, 2022

“India as symbolised by the original Sarnath Bell Capital and Modiji’s Lions.Pic 1: Old India: strong, confident and hence endearing .Pic 2: New India: angry, insecure and hence vengeful”, tweeted another user Sanjoy Ghose.

India as symbolised by the original Sarnath Bell Capital and Modiji’s Lions

Pic 1: Old India: strong, confident and hence endearing ☺️

Pic 2: New India: angry, insecure and hence vengeful 🙁 pic.twitter.com/EUBQwSMuWO

— sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) July 12, 2022

One such user Devdan Choudhari tweeted , “ Ashoka’s lions are lean, calm and graceful, while the BJP’s lions are muscular, angry and menacing. Our peaceful and aesthetically pleasing national emblem has been crudely distorted to reflect the Hindutva attitude.”

Ashoka’s lions are lean, calm and graceful, while the BJP’s lions are muscular, angry and menacing.

Our peaceful and aesthetically pleasing national emblem has been crudely distorted to reflect the Hindutva attitude. pic.twitter.com/2nvYqtLYBU

— Devdan Chaudhuri (@DevdanChaudhuri) July 12, 2022

Mona Ambegaonkar, an activist tweeted, “Changing the National Emblem is Treason.”

Changing the National Emblem is Treason. https://t.co/yLsWIsSDUO

— Mona Ambegaonkar (@MonaAmbegaonkar) July 12, 2022

The metal sculpture has been built in Aurangabad, Jaipur and Delhi by artists Sunil Deore and Lakshman Vyas. The earlier design incorporated a spire atop the building and was replaced with the Ashoka Emblem in 2020.