The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for a tweet comparing the shape of the new parliament building to that of a coffin, stating that those responsible for the tweet should be charged with treason. Sushil Kumar Modi, a Rajya Sabha MP and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, expressed his disapproval, emphasizing that the new parliament building was constructed using public funds and that representatives from all parties would participate in parliamentary proceedings there, even if they boycotted the inauguration. He questioned whether the RJD had decided to permanently boycott parliament and suggested that their MPs resign from their positions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia added to the criticism, stating that the people of the country would metaphorically bury the RJD in the same coffin in the 2024 elections and prevent them from entering the new temple of democracy. Bhatia asserted that the parliament building belongs to the country while the coffin belongs to the RJD.
Responding to the RJD’s tweet, RJD’s Shakti Singh Yadav clarified that the coffin symbolized the burial of democracy, expressing concern that the RJD believes the government is steering the country in a different direction. Yadav emphasized that the parliament is the temple of democracy and a place for dialogue, urging the Prime Minister not to “put democracy in a coffin” and calling the act a violation of the Constitution and tradition.
The RJD, led by Tejashwi Yadav, is one of the 20 political parties that boycotted the grand opening of the new parliament building, questioning why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was inaugurating it instead of President Droupadi Murmu. The RJD accused the Prime Minister of insulting and assaulting democracy by sidelining the President, stating that it undermined the spirit of inclusion and violated the constitution. They emphasized that the President holds a significant position in parliament according to the Constitution and called on the Prime Minister to respect democracy.
The controversy surrounding the tweet and the boycott by opposition parties have created a heated political atmosphere. While the BJP condemned the RJD’s tweet as disrespectful and demanded charges of sedition, the RJD defended its tweet as a symbolic representation and raised concerns about the government’s approach to democracy. The disagreement over the inauguration of the new parliament building has further intensified the ongoing political debate in the country.
