Shiv Sena (UBT) hits out at PM Modi for inaugurating new Parliament without inviting President

“The royal sceptre (Sengol) has also come now. So, henceforth, in a way, the monarchy has begun. The sceptre of a new dictatorship has reached Delhi in the name of democracy. Modi entered into the new parliament House while being surrounded by the people who don’t believe in science and research, he performed religious rituals (activities) in the parliament. Should it be called Hindutva or a coronation ceremony? In Hinduism, there is a faith, not superstition. What form of Indian Parliament are we showing to the world? The President was not invited, but numerous monks were invited to the grand opening of the new Parliament building. It will be recorded in history that a thousand crore rupee ‘palace’ was built for the whims of ‘Lahari Raja’ and democracy itself was banished from it,” the editorial said.

“Since the Modi Raj came to Delhi, the functioning of the Parliament is almost stopped. During Pandit Nehru’s tenure, Lok Sabha functioned for at least 140 days a year. Now it does not last even for 50 days. The police, ED, reach the house of those the government fears and arrest them. There is no facility to raise a voice against this tyranny in Parliament. So what is the purpose of the new Parliament building?” the editorial questioned.

The editorial also slammed Modi for being “self-centric”. “There is no medicine for human nature. The inauguration of the new Parliament building was held in a grand manner. The ceremony was like ‘Sab Kuch Modi and only Modi’. Modi did not allow anyone else’s shadow to come in the photos and other filming. That is Modi’s nature,” it said.

The Sena also stated, “Had the President inaugurated the new Parliament House, along with the Chairman of the Lok Sabha and the Speaker of the Rajya Sabha, with Prime Minister Modi in the middle and the Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on his right, Modi’s greatness would not have diminished. If Modi had done all this, the world would have thought that he had changed, but how will he change his nature? Modi acts like Modi.”

“After locking down the historic Parliament building, PM Modi built a new grand Parliament building as if he owned it. If there is no freedom of speech in that new building, then don’t call it a temple of democracy. If the Opposition is not allowed to ask sharp questions to the government in the new building, then take down the board of ‘Satyamev Jayate’. Cover the Indian symbol of three lions on the dome of the Parliament if you want to stop them from roaring on national issues in that palace,” the editorial said.

“When Modi became the country’s prime minister in 2014, he declared that ‘the Constitution of the country is the only holy book. Our government will respect that holy book’. When Modi first entered the Parliament before assuming the post of prime minister, he was very emotional and bowed his head on the steps of the Parliament and shed tears. His heart might be telling him that he will preserve the sanctity of this Parliament, give equal justice to all and strengthen the Parliament for that, but in just eight years, he locked the same Parliament and built a new parliament building of his own free will. His inauguration ceremony was performed like a Maharaja entering his royal palace.”

Saamana also alleged that PM Modi never attended the Question Hour. “He will constantly run away from the discussion. All the subjects were discussed in the Parliament in the past and then prime minister Nehru always encouraged the discussion. Today, when the Opposition demands a discussion on an issue, the ruling party shuts down the Parliament. Members of the Opposition benches are getting step-motherly treatment. This is not a democracy,” it said.

“Yesterday, Modi said ‘the new Parliament House is a temple of democracy and may this temple strengthen India’s path of development and give strength to crores of people’. But how will development happen by leaving the path of science? The new Parliament building was inaugurated as per Vedic rituals. Modi installed Sengol, i.e. sceptre, in the Lok Sabha, but what is the use of that ornamental sceptre if Rajdharma is not followed in the governance of the country?” Saamana asked.

“During the Modi government, public institutions, airports and ports in the country are handed over to his friends. Stories of how Modimitra (Gautam) Adani looted the country were published, but as soon as the opposition parties demanded a debate on that looting, Parliament was shut down. Tomorrow it (Parliament House) will be handed over to Modi’s industrialist friends to run the new Parliament. There is an atmosphere of fear in the country today,” Saamana said.