Savarkar's Birthday Sparks Controversy Over New Parliament Inauguration
The inauguration of India’s new parliament building on 28 May has triggered a heated debate among the political parties. The reason? The date coincides with the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a controversial figure in Indian history. Savarkar, also known as Veer Savarkar, was a freedom fighter, writer and ideologue of Hindutva, a nationalist ideology that advocates Hindu supremacy.
He is revered by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies as a patriot and a visionary. However, he is also accused by the opposition parties and some historians of being a collaborator with the British colonialists and an opponent of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. The opposition parties have slammed the government for choosing Savarkar’s birthday as the inauguration date, calling it an insult to India’s founding fathers and an attempt to impose Hindutva on the country.
They have also questioned the constitutional propriety of not inviting the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, who is the head of state and the supreme authority of the parliament, to the event. The government has defended its decision, saying that the new parliament building is a matter of pride and honour for all Indians. It has also dismissed the criticism as baseless and motivated by political vendetta.
It has claimed that the President’s presence is not mandatory for the inauguration and that she will be invited for other functions related to the parliament. The new parliament building, which is part of a larger project to redevelop the central vista of Delhi, has been built in front of the existing colonial-era structure. It has increased seating capacity and modern amenities and has cost 9.7 billion rupees ($117.1 million).
The existing parliament building will continue to be used for some purposes. The inauguration ceremony is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several cabinet ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and some opposition leaders. However, some opposition parties have decided to boycott the event in protest.
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