Aurangabad-based sculptor Sunil Deore, who made the national emblem, dismissed opposition charges that the structure was distorted and clarified that no changes were made to it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday unveiled the national emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament building premises.
The national emblem is made up of high-purity bronze with a total weight of 9500 kg and is 6.5 metre in height. The emblem is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka which is preserved in the Sarnath Museum.
Deore said, “The original emblem is 7 feet in height while the new emblem is nearly 7 metre (nearly 21 feet) in height. The picture of the emblem which is going viral was taken from ground level and when you look at it from that angle, its character changes.”
“I made the emblem after a proper study…I was given the task of making the emblem by Tata Projects Limited and I did not receive any direction from the government,” he added.
Opposition members and activists on Tuesday alleged that the national emblem has been distorted and the “graceful and regally confident” Ashokan lions were replaced with those having menacing and aggressive posture.
“Narendra Modi Ji, please observe the face of the Lion, whether it is representing the statue of Great Sarnath or a distorted version of GIR lion. Please check it and if it needs, mend the same, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, said on Twitter.
Historian S Irfan Habib also objected to the national emblem unveiled atop the new Parliament building.
“Meddling with our national emblem was totally unnecessary and avoidable. Why should our lions look ferocious and full of angst? These are Ashoka’s lions adapted by independent India in 1950,” Habib said.
Sharing two different images of the national emblem, Trinamool Congress MP Jawahar Sircar said on Twitter, “Insult to our national symbol, the majestic Ashokan Lions. Original is on the left, graceful, regally confident. The one on the right is Modi’s version, put above the new Parliament building – snarling, unnecessarily aggressive and disproportionate. Shame! Change it immediately.”
Commenting on the controversy over the emblem, former ADG of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) BR Mani, said, “I will not call claims of opposition leaders baseless or meaningless but it’s not right to make political commentary on it.”
“Original pillar is 7-8 feet while this (new emblem) is about 21 feet. Perspective changes with such difference. When seen from ground level, angle differs but when seen from the front, it is clear that it is a good attempt to copy it,” he added.
