‘Only PM Modi was allowed to grab limelight’: Saamna editorial after new Parliament inauguration

The official newspaper of the Uddhav Thackeray faction ‘Saamna’ condemned the new Parliament inauguration ceremony, saying that no one other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allowed to grab the limelight. PM Modi inaugurated the new House on May 28. 

It stated that Lok Sabha used to run for at least 140 days in a year during former PM Pandit Nehru, while now it doesn't even run for 50 days, according to a report published by the news agency ANI. 

“The inauguration of the building of the new Parliament House took place with much grandeur. This ceremony meant 'Everything is Modi and only Modi'. Whether it was photographs or other filming, Modi did not allow anyone else's shadow to appear in it. That's the nature of Modi,” Saamna's column read. 

“If the President would have inaugurated the new Parliament House, with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Modi in the middle and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on his right,” it said. 

“If such an image had appeared from the temple of Democracy, it wouldn't have lowered Modi's greatness. If Modi had done all this, then the world would have felt that Modi has changed, but if he changes his nature then how is he, Modi?” the newspaper added. 

The editorial also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "putting locks" on the old Parliament where the Prime Minister had taken oath in 2014. Further, it criticized the rituals held during the inauguration ceremony and alleged that they were far away from "science and knowledge".

PM Modi inaugurated a sleek new Parliament complex to revamp India's decrepit colonial-era center of government in New Delhi marking a new era for the Indian Parliament and Democracy.

He installed the historic 'Sengol' right next to the speaker of Lok Sabha speaker's chair. Vedic rituals and 'sarva dharma prarthana' (multi-faith prayer) ceremony were also held at the occasion.

The new Parliament building is designed to enable 888 members to sit in the Lok Sabha. In the present building of the Parliament, there is a provision for the sitting of 543 Members in the Lok Sabha and 250 in the Rajya Sabha.

Keeping in view the future requirements, arrangements have been made for a meeting of 888 members in the Lok Sabha and 384 members in the Rajya Sabha in the newly constructed building of the Parliament. The joint session of both Houses will be held in the Lok Sabha Chamber.

(With ANI inputs)