Vivek Agnihotri says National Emblem row proves one thing about 'urban naxals'
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri said ‘urban naxals’ want a ‘silent lion’ without teeth so that they can pet the lion.
As the artists of the National Emblem atop the new Parliament building asserted that there has been no change in the design, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri slammed the detractors and called them 'urban naxals'. "The new National Emblem at the Central Vista has proved one thing that Urban Naxals can be fooled just by changing the angle. Specially the LOW angle," the filmmaker tweeted as the controversy raged on with the Congress and other opposition parties claiming that the lion had an aggressive look, unlike the icon. The artists said the view from below may have given a distorted impression as it is a large statue.
"Urban naxals want a silent lion without teeth. So that they can use it as a pet," Agnihotri tweeted.
As several Trinamool leaders, including Mahua Moitra, and Jawhar Sircar, have criticised the new emblem, the Kaali row also got entwined with this with Union minister Smriti Irani countering that the criticism from TMC leader was not unexpected as they insult Goddess Kaali and 'has scant regard for Constitution'.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri asserted that had the exact replica been placed on the new building, it would not have been visible as the emblem is at the height of 33 meters from the ground. "Sense of proportion and perspective. Beauty is famously regarded as lying in the eyes of the beholder. So is the case with calm and anger. The original Sarnath Emblem is 1.6 meters high whereas the emblem on the top of the new Parliament building is huge at 6.5 meters height," the minister said.
Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra termed the 'distortion' in the emblem as the transition from 'Satyameva Jayate' to 'Sanghimeva Jayate', while BJP leader indirectly took a dig at Moitra by calling her "neo expert".
Former ADG of the Archaeological Survey of India, BR Mani, said it was a good copy of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka – to him. "When it comes to 7-8 feet Ashoka Lion and when it comes to 20-21 feet Ashoka Lion, then the artist's work angle is different. If you look at something built up high, then it looks different from below, but there is no significant difference. I believe that what has been made is a good copy of the Ashoka Pillar found at Sarnath," he said.
