‘Coronation over, arrogant king…’: Rahul Gandhi jabs Modi over wrestlers' protest

The Delhi police on Sunday detained Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia for violation of law and order.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for police action against the protesting wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, saying the “arrogant king is crushing the voice of the public.” Some of India's top wrestlers were detained by the Delhi Police as they intensified their protest demanding the arrest of their federation chief over sexual harassment allegations.

Security personnel detain wrestler Sakshi Malik during wrestlers' protest march towards new Parliament building, in New Delhi, Sunday, May 28, 2023.(PTI)

The videos and images of police personnel overpowering the protesters and pushing into buses to take them to different unknown locations drew condemnation from opposition leaders.

Posting a video juxtaposing the wrestlers' moment of glory during the Olympics with the police action on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi said in Hindi, “The coronation is over - the 'arrogant king' is crushing the voice of the public on the streets!”

While the Congress leader didn't take any name, he, in an earlier tweet, had used the word ‘coronation’ to take a swipe at Prime Minister Modi. Gandhi said Parliament is the voice of the people but the prime minister is treating the inauguration of the new building like a "coronation".

"Parliament is the voice of the people! The prime minister is treating the inauguration of the Parliament House as (a) coronation," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi soon after Modi inaugurated the building.

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. Modi prostrated before the Sengol and sought blessings from high priests of various Adheenams in Tamil Nadu with the holy sceptre in hand.

Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, “When they celebrated the sceptre yesterday, we should have known they were celebrating the beginning of ‘protest-mukt-democracy’.”

The Left parties also hit out at Prime Minister Modi, comparing the inauguration of the new parliament building by him with the coronation of a monarch and relegating the people of the country to “subjects ('praja')”.

In a series of tweets, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged that the inauguration ceremony was held amid "loud propaganda" with the declaration of a "new India".

"This declaration of a 'New India' comes in the absence of the President of India, Vice President of India and opposition parties! India = Nation and Citizen; New India = Raja and Praja."

"Sengol belongs to the period of feudal monarchies, emperors and kings. Indian people overthrew such bondages and ushered in a secular democratic republic where every citizen is equal. Sngol has no role in a democracy where people elect the government," he tweeted.