The Opposition hit out at the BJP-led Centre on Monday over a religious ceremony performed at an event to unveil the cast of the national emblem on the new Parliament building premises.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi slammed PM Modi for unveiling the bronze statue instead of the Lok Sabha Speaker. "Constitution separates the powers of parliament, government and judiciary. As head of government, @PMOIndia shouldn’t have unveiled the national emblem atop the new parliament building. The Speaker of Lok Sabha represents LS which isn’t subordinate to govt. @PMOIndia has violated all constitutional norms," Owaisi wrote in a tweet.
In a statement, the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) said the prime minister's action was a "clear violation of the Indian Constitution". It said the Constitution unambiguously separates the three wings of our democracy - the Executive (government), the Legislature (Parliament and state assemblies) and the Judiciary. "President summons the Parliament. Prime minister is the head of the Executive. The Legislature has its independent role to perform, amongst others, to legislate laws, keep the Executive accountable and answerable," it said. "This Constitutional separation of powers between the three wings is being subverted by the head of the Executive," the CPI(M) said.
Hitting back at Owaisi, the BJP said he is always driven by a negative mindset and constantly attacks the country's political, moral, social, cultural and constitutional values to run his party. “He does it habitually,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said replying to a question at a press conference.
NCP leader Majeed Memon wondered why the government had kept away opposition leaders from the ceremony to unveil the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. “Parliament House will not be occupied by the Prime Minister alone. It will also be occupied by the opposition. Not inviting them is a major flaw in a democratic set up,” Memon, a former Rajya Sabha member, said. The NCP leader said he had no objection to the prime minister unveiling the national emblem. “It is his right as he is the tallest leader of the country,” he said. The CPI(M) also took objection to a religious ceremony organized at an event to unveil the cast of the national emblem atop the new Parliament building. “National emblem installation should not be linked to religious ceremonies. It is everyone’s emblem, not those who have some religious beliefs. Keep religion separate from national functions,” said CPI(M) in a tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the national emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament building. Officials said the emblem has been cast at the top of the central foyer of the new Parliament building, and a supporting structure of steel weighing around 6,500 kg has been constructed to support it. Modi was joined by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh at the inauguration. The PM also attended a religious ceremony at the site.
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