RJD likens new Parliament building to a coffin; case of treason should be filed, demands BJP

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Sunday triggered a controversy by likening the new Parliament building to a coffin. RJD, the ruling party in Bihar, is among the 20 parties that boycotted the inauguration of the new Parliament House. In a tweet on the party's official handle, the RJD posted a picture of the coffin along with the new Parliament building and wrote: "Ye kya hai (what is this)." The party was referring to the shape of the building which is triangular.

New Parliament Building Inauguration Live

RJD leader Shakti Singh Yadav said the coffin in the party's tweet was a representation of democracy being buried. "The country will not accept this. Parliament is the temple of democracy and it is the place to have discussions," he said.

The BJP attacked the RJD, saying a case should be filed against the party. "A case of treason should be registered against such people who have compared the new Parliament building with a coffin," BJP's Sushil Modi, who has served as the deputy chief minister, said.

Also read: WATCH: PM Modi places sacred Sengol inside new Parliament House

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building and installed the historic Sengol in the Lok Sabha chamber. Dressed in traditional attire, Modi walked into Parliament premises from its Gate No. 1 and was welcomed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Amid Vedic chants by priests from Karnataka's Shringeri Math, the prime minister performed "Ganapati Homam" to invoke Gods to bless the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The Prime Minister prostrated before the Sengol and sought blessings from high priests of various 'adheenams' in Tamil Nadu with the holy sceptre in hand.

Also read: 'What a magnificent new...': Shah Rukh Khan praises new Parliament building; PM responds

PM Modi then carried the Sengol in a procession amid tunes of "nadaswaram" and chanting of Vedic mantras to the new Parliament building and installed it in a special enclosure on the right side of the Speaker's chair in the Lok Sabha chamber.

NCP MP Supriya Sule too attacked the government, saying the event was incomplete as the opposition parties were not present. "To open a new Parliament building without the Opposition makes it an incomplete event. It means there is no democracy in the country," she said.

BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi said no political comments should be made on the day when the new Parliament building was being inaugurated. He said all political parties should rise above politics and respect this. 

At least 20 political parties, including RJD"s alliance partner in Bihar JDU and Congress, have boycotted the inauguration ceremony. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said there was "no need" for a new Parliament building. The new Parliament building is an attempt to write a new history by those who had no contribution to the freedom struggle, he told reporters.

Kumar, who is making efforts to form a grand alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, also expressed dismay over President Droupadi and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankar not being invited to the function. JD(U) announced that it will boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building on Sunday.

The party is today observing a day-long fast to protest the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Modi. "There is no need for a new Parliament building... Those who had no contribution to the country's fight for independence are trying to distort history," he said. "It is quite surprising that the President of India and the Vice-President, who is the chairman of Rajya Sabha, have not been invited to the inauguration programme."

(With inputs from PTI)