Congress has taken a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the emergence of a video on social media showcasing water leakage in the new Parliament building during heavy rains in Delhi on Wednesday, July 31st. The viral footage depicted a bucket placed on the floor of a lobby within the new Parliament building, collecting water dripping from its ceiling. This incident triggered angry responses and satirical remarks from the Opposition, emphasizing the substantial expense incurred in constructing the new Parliament.
Congress further amplified their criticism by posting an animated video featuring PM Narendra Modi, accompanied by a voiceover and the caption: “BREAKING NEWS. When the Parliament building was being constructed, the drone was out of order. It is not Narendra Modi’s fault – Godi Media.” The voiceover in the animated video stated: “Mujhe zaroori nahi ki main pehle se bata dun ki mujhe wahan inspection ke liye jana hai toh phir toh sab kuch theek thaak ho hi jaayega…main drone bhej dun, pata woh hi lekar ke aa jata hai aur unko pata tak nahi chalta hai ki maine jaankari leli.” A rough translation of this statement is: “It’s not necessary for me to inform them in advance about my inspection. If I do, they’ll ensure everything is in order. However, if I send a drone, it gathers the information without them even realising that I have inspected the site.”
As the video depicting the water leakage went viral, the Lok Sabha Secretariat issued a statement on Thursday, August 1st, explaining that the adhesive used to secure the glass domes above the lobby became displaced during the rains, causing the leakage. The statement highlighted the use of glass domes in several parts of the building, including the lobby, to maximize natural light utilization in the Parliament’s daily operations. The secretariat clarified: “….In this regard, it is worth mentioning that keeping in view the concept of Green Parliament, glass domes have been provided in several parts of the Building, including in the Lobby, so that abundant natural light could be utilized in day to day work of the Parliament. During the heavy rain on Wednesday, the adhesive material used to fix the glass domes over the Lobby of the Building was slightly displaced, causing minor leakage of water in the Lobby.”
The statement further assured that the problem was promptly rectified: “The problem was, however, detected timely and corrective measures were taken immediately. Thereafter, no further leakage of water has been noticed. Similarly, accumulated water opposite Makar Dwar also got drained out quickly,” the secretariat concluded.
