28th May 2023,Mumbai: In a scathing critique on Sunday, the Left parties launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, denouncing him for referring to the nation’s citizens as “subjects (‘praja’)” and drawing a parallel between the inauguration of the new parliament building and the coronation of a monarch.
On a Sunday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building, infusing the moment with religious significance by conducting a “Ganapati Homam” to seek divine blessings. Vedic chants resonated through the Lok Sabha room as priests from Karnataka’s Shringeri Math performed the sacred ritual. Holding the revered Sengol, a symbol of authority, Modi humbly bowed before it, seeking blessings from prominent priests representing various adheenams in Tamil Nadu.
However, the decision for the prime minister to inaugurate the building instead of the president led to approximately 20 opposition parties choosing to boycott the event altogether. Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the CPI(M), expressed his disapproval through a series of tweets, criticizing the inauguration ceremony for being accompanied by a “loud propaganda” claiming the arrival of a “new India.”
Yechury emphasized that this declaration of a ‘New India’ was made without the involvement of opposition parties, the Vice President, or the President of India. He questioned the reference to the rulers of this new India as “Raja” and “Praja,” terms reminiscent of a feudal era. Yechury argued that India established itself as a secular democratic republic, overthrowing such hierarchical systems, and promoting equal rights for all citizens. In his view, the Sengol held no place in a democracy where citizens choose their government.
Expanding on his criticism, Yechury alleged that Modi’s use of the Sengol symbolized authoritarianism, contrasting it with the concept of just and fair governance represented by the Kodungol. This perspective was shared by Binoy Viswam, a CPI MP, who contended that paying homage to the Sengol came at the expense of suppressing dissenting voices.
Dipankar Bhattacharya, the general secretary of the CPI (M-L), echoed the sentiment of a growing dictatorial regime, equating the opening of the new parliament building to the coronation of a monarch. Bhattacharya lamented the erosion of constitutional principles and the democratic process, citing the ongoing repression in Delhi, where women wrestlers and other citizens gathered for the Mahila Samman Panchayat faced severe police crackdown.
Further aggravating the situation, three prominent wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, were detained by the Delhi police on Sunday for breaching security perimeters and organizing a women’s ‘Mahapanchayat’ near the new Parliament building, seeking to address pertinent issues.
As tensions escalate, it remains to be seen how these events will shape the path of the new parliament and whether the concerns raised by the Left parties regarding potential authoritarian tendencies and the disregard for democratic principles will be addressed or further exacerbated.
-by Kashvi Gala