RJD leader: ‘Coffin analogy being taken literally … it symbolises how democratic norms were forgotten during new Parliament inauguration’

What is your reaction to the criticism from almost all quarters for your party’s tweet likening the new Parliament building design to a coffin?

BJP and others are probably taking it too literally. We have only drawn a symbolic comparison to suggest how democratic norms and traditions were forgotten during the inauguration of the new Parliament. While the first Parliament saw members of the Constituent Assembly at its inaugural function, we have seen the gathering of priests at the new Parliament’s opening. We are saddened that the President of India was not invited to become part of the historic occasion. Our Parliament comprises the President of India and its two Houses.

Even some of your allies have distanced themselves from the coffin analogy.

It is a matter of how different political parties perceive it. We have been against the new Parliament project from the beginning because it was not needed. More so, when our economy suffered a lot because of the Covid crisis. We also opposed the design but PM Narendra Modi did not listen to any suggestion or criticism.

What exactly is the RJD’s complaint against the NDA government?

We are strongly opposed to the BJP’s bid to initiate cultural nationalism. And what is this Sengol? Who is transferring power to whom now? Is democracy transferring itself to cultural nationalism? We do not understand this show of transfer of power in the 75th year of our Independence. BJP has deviated from democratic norms and traditions and there is too much show of cultural nationalism in place of Bahujan nationalism these days.

Does RJD’s sense of unease with the BJP also come from recent cases and raids by central agencies at places of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members?

We have been talking about political vendetta all along. But our protest against the inauguration of the new Parliament building has nothing to do with the BJP government’s rampant misuse of Central agencies. A combined Opposition has opposed the new building’s opening to convey that the Opposition is not being valued and respected.

Don’t you think such a tug-of-war between the NDA and the Opposition will affect Centre-state relationships as well?

It has already affected (the ties). The Centre has been finding ways to delay funds to states. Why are CMs of the non-BJP-ruled states opposing NITI Aayog meetings? It is only because it is ending up as one-way communication. Non-BJP-ruled states have been getting step-motherly treatment.