Shiban Khaibri
It is fully known and we are familiar with the manner how very frequently there is ruckus inside the Parliament, how at times some “aggrieved” members, usually from the opposition , troop into the well of the august House, carry protest placards and many a time are climbing on benches and even tearing papers and throwing on the chair. Seeing all that, with this phenomenon, proceedings are intermittently disrupted , postponed and business suffers . Last session , as we helplessly saw, was completely washed away much to the detriment of the interests of the tax payers of this country who foot and bear the huge expenses of running the highest ”temple” of democracy of the country. The noble phrase of “Parliamentary language” and “parliamentary behaviour” , as such, unfortunately warrants using not an analogy usually and traditionally associated with it. Parliament this time , however, made headlines for entirely a new reason- Boycott.
In other words, the ruckus inside the Parliament recently graduated to about the Parliament . Entirely a new but quite disturbing development, reminiscent of dilution , if not plummeting of expected high political standards . Thus ruckus, deriding bouts, accusations etc took place all in respect of construction and completion followed by the inauguration of the new building built in record lesser time, having spacious legislative chambers, being modern in all respects, comfortable, fully Bhartia , sufficient for 1272 seats , housing 5000 art works , with beautiful paintings, metal murals , equipped with latest technology, environmental friendly and what not. The new building plan right from conceiving , designing, laying foundation stone, process of construction and later stages of its completion continuously faced hiccups of various hues – why(s), how(s), ifs , buts etc leading to even resorting to court interventions . This was done only and only to somehow get stay on and stoppage of its construction with the only and sole aim of embarrassing and showing down Narendra Modi thus deriving some peculiar sort of pleasure all in the name of “saving” democracy and constitution both of which are found imperilled since 2014 and not before by Congress and some other opposition parties . The hullaballoo resulted in the combined opposition led by Congress deciding to boycott its inauguration by turning down government invitation. Here also, a stay or an injunction against inauguration by the Prime Minister was attempted to be obtained from the Supreme Court which , however, was declined and no costs (as penalty) were imposed .
Still , going ahead with the boycott , an exaltation was felt by most of the opposition parties in the sense of scoring high points of egoistic politics and even amour- propre of their unwarranted and uncalled for stand. History spares none and it will be adequately recorded in history books and probably our future generations shall get to know about it as to how a national event, a symbol erected after 75 years showcasing a fully indigenous India’s first Parliament building , a real shift from colonial building ( British Council House) designed and built by Sir Lutyens and Herbert Baker later housing Imperial Legislative Council to a one built by and for Indians, was opposed vehemently throughout . Sengol , the classical Sanatani symbol which was handed over to Mr. Nehru in 1947 signifying the pledge and the commitment of the ruler to remain committed to serving the people, a tradition of thousands of years specifically formally starting from the mighty Chole dynasty, was later consigned to a Mesuem as “a walking stick”. It goes to the credit of Prime Minister Modi to whom the project of new Parliament building with no colonial odour, was no less than the fulfilment of a vision, bringing back the sacred Sengol to be installed with all traditional religious fervour including amidst an all religions’ prayers . The Sengol with Nandi Maharaj atop overlooking the process of fulfilling of the duties of the ruler(s) was installed near the podium of the speaker.
The rue-able stand of terming it “all Hindu” is negation of the existing traditions kept alive till Mr. Nehru, the first PM of the country who received it from Seers from Tamil Nadu with full religious rites. It is also the negation of the fact of India being basically with core Sanatani traditions which is kernel of our civilization. Secularism notwithstanding , why should it being “Hindu” come as a shock to anyone in the only country where Hindus can live, is the basic question. In the inauguration of the Parliament, this narrow-mindedness is evocative of targeting Hindus and demeaning anything associated with thousands of years of their legacy and traditions. Before the term “secularism” was invented in 1947 and before Thomas Macaulay , this country had in its soul “Live and let live and the world is one family” and thus love for and tolerance of every religion as also had education in its nerve though not in English. Christian missionaries burnt midnight oil to learn Sanskrit hence the treasure of knowledge – the Holy Vedas. The emblem of Ashok Chakra is from Hindu background. Circular shape of the Chausath Yogini Temple in Morena Madhya Pradesh had inspired the design of the (Council House) the old Parliament signifying recognition of basic structure of India being Sanatani Hindu even though religion having no influence on or connection with the state – known as secularism. Likewise, the triangular shape of the New Parliament Building too is based on Sanatani philosophy . It is another thing that RJD very cheaply termed the new building akin to a coffin and a “leader” of Samajwadi Party calling the Seers associated with Sengol as ”fundamentalist Brahmans” – is all shocking and unwarranted flourishing on unlimited traditional tolerance of Hindu community.
The ground and the plea laced with less of logic and more of hypocrisy, for total boycott was about why inauguration should be done by the Prime Minister and not by the President. The intense concern feigned for the President is to be compared with the real unease – that Modi’s name would remain on the inauguration plate of the new Building . So much voice raised for and respect of the President shown by those who opposed her candidature for the highest constitutional post of the Republic were the ones who boycotted the inauguration. A combined opposition candidate TMC leader Yashwant Sinha was unanimously projected by these parties against the present (elected) President. Agreed, there is intrinsic hate and disdain for Modi Ji but this new proud building built with tax payers’ money was not Modi’s fiefdom or private property. Hate for Modi has transformed into hate for India. Else, why should again on a foreign soil , after the UK last time, this country be projected in a pitiable and horrible condition and , therefore, is tantamount to having been insulted by Rahul Gandhi of Congress party . Perhaps rattled by his increasing popularity the country’s Prime Minister is mocked and ridiculed terming him as a ”specimen” . ” He is lying down like that ; are you happy – I am not lying down” , said Rahul Gandhi in San Francisco mocking not only the Prime Minister of 140 crore people but ancient Sanatani culture of prostrating before deities, temples, shrines, elders, teachers etc as a mark of great respect.
To make this country look more hopeless , the ”rona doona” on the so called ”plight” of all minorities in India is again melodramatised by him . This fear mongering for minorities , however, was to this extent that the Congress leader compared their plight as it existed in 1980s when his grandmother Smt. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister. He went a step further in furthering traditional appeasement of Congress Party by certifying Muslim League to be secular but BJP and RSS are communal and divisive. Not only that , the new Parliament House is termed as “distraction” from the issues of mehangai and berozgaari repeatedly told in routine accidences or stratifications . Now, he added new ones like cost of education, cost of medical facilities , country’s topsy turvey education system, history distorted by BJP and RSS and what not. Rahul Gandhi , however, did not make known the ”excellent” economic model at work in Congress and Congress supported coalition ruled states so that at least the economy of the US could have been benefitted. While lies are spoken , canards especially about minorities are spread from the foreign soil , the fact of Indian economy making fast progress is conveniently ignored. GDP for 2022-23 is expected to be above 7.2% – the growth exceeding expectations. A fast developing, transforming India , new modern airports, railway stations, roads, highways, tunnels , new modern trains and the list is long looks as anathema to Modi haters. Verily , therefore, that most of the opposition political parties have a common avowed agenda of Modi hate and to oppose each and every decision , policy, programme and planning that is in the interests of the nation and even the common man. Chasing that pursuit , they do not mind going beyond the limit which even may go against the interests of the country.
We have seen and this writer has made a mention through these columns as to how even on foreign soils , things that were not, or are not, were told even to the extent of democracy in the country being in grave danger and it was ”wondered ” about as to why America and European countries were ”oblivious” of that. Again , in the country that unfortunately became our neighbour in 1947 having been a part of this country, started right from its birth, pursuing a state policy of Hate India and has been waging war of terrorism against us for five decades , to call a spade a spade, in that very country a senior Congress leader exhorted Pakistanis “Modi ko hatao aur hum ko lao” . He also expressed his fears, ” I receive much more hatred in India than I receive love in Pakistan”. In a country where Hindus from 22% have been decimated to 1.7% , he , in Pakistan accuses Indian PM of dividing people on the basis of religion. Rahul Gandhi repeatedly spreads canards abroad about minorities in India but dares not speak the truth about the heart rending plight of Hindus especially minor girls and other non Muslims in Pakistan. What is he up to is either known to Congress Party, or to those who arrange his meetings and his tour and, perhaps, to his ”intellectual” friends there.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
