PM treating inauguration of the new Parliament like coronation: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said Parliament is the voice of the people but the prime minister is treating the inauguration of the new Parliament building like a “coronation.”

The attack came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building. Several Opposition leaders posted their views against the new Parliament inauguration and the Sengol.

“Parliament is the voice of the people! The Prime Minister is treating the inauguration of the Parliament House like a coronation,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

AICC general secretary, organisation, K.C. Venugopal also tweeted, saying, “At the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Parliament building, then President Sh. Ramnath Kovind was kept away from the ceremony. At its inauguration, President Droupadi Murmu has been sidelined.”

It is the upper caste, anti-backward mindset of the RSS because of which they are denied the respect that their high constitutional office deserves. Their deliberate exclusion shows PM Modi will use them as tokens for his electoral politics, but will not allow them to be part of such significant and historic occasions,” he added.

Kapil Sibal takes dig at BJP over Sengol

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal took a dig at the BJP over the party describing the Sengol as a symbol of transfer of power from the British, saying in India, the transfer of power is through the will of the people who gave themselves the Constitution.

His remarks come amid a war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the history of the Sengol with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it was a symbol of the transfer of power from the British in 1947 and should have gotten its due respect after Independence but was kept on display as a “walking stick” at Anand Bhawan in Prayagraj.

The Congress has claimed there was no documentary evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C. Rajagopalachari, and Jawaharlal Nehru describing the Sengol as a symbol of transfer of power from the British to India.

In a tweet, Mr. Sibal, a prominent Opposition voice, said, “Sengol: BJP says: Symbol of transfer of power from the British. My take: In India transfer of power through Will of the people who gave to themselves this constitution. Sengol presented by Goddess Meenakshi to king of Madurai. Symbolises Divine right to rule.”

Chidambaram slams Modi over Manipur violence

Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recent violence in Manipur, saying the PM has “not uttered a word” on the matter. He reminded the PM he holds the “metaphoric Sengol” in his hand.

In a tweet, Mr. Chidambaram said it has been more than three weeks since violence broke out in Manipur and at least 75 people are dead. “The Hon’ble PM has not uttered a word so far. Nor has he made an appeal for peace and harmony. Just to remind him, he holds the metaphoric Sengol in his hand,” the former Home minister said.

RJD likens new Parliament to a coffin

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) likened the architecture of the new Parliament building to a coffin, drawing a sharp response from the BJP which said people will bury the Bihar party in such a coffin in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

As the new building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ruling party in Bihar put out a tweet that showed a coffin and the new legislature building side by side and asked, “What is this?”

The BJP’s Bihar unit responded to the tweet saying, “The first picture is your future and the second is of India. Understood?”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla termed RJD’s tweet “disgusting” while another spokesperson, Gaurav Bhatia, said the coffin belongs to the RJD and the Parliament to the country.

Inputs from PTI