A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court on Friday against the State Emblem of Ashokan lions installed atop the new Parliament building in the Central Vista.
The petitioners, Advocates Aldanish Rein and Ramesh Kumar Mishra, prayed to the Apex Court to direct the Central government to correct the State Emblem of India in accordance with the State Emblem of India (Prohibition Against Improper Use) Act of 2005. The advocates claimed the design violates the Act of 2005.
The petitioners argued that the State Emblem of India, which was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the roof of the new Parliament, has a visible difference in the design of lions. The newly installed emblem depicts a changed composure of the lions than that of the symbol in the Sarnath museum.
The lions of the newly installed emblem look ferocious and aggressive with their mouths open and canines visible while the lions of the State Emblem in the Sarnath museum are calm and composed, the plea argued.
The petitioners also said the State Emblem of India is a mark of identity of the Republic of India which belongs to the citizens of India. The government has interfered with the identity which has hurt national sentiments, the petitioners further said.
The Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka was adopted as the State emblem and the four lions represent the spiritual philosophies of the Buddha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Emblem cast on the roof of the New Parliament Building on July 11. The bronze emblem weighs 6,500 kilograms and is 6.5 metres tall.
Following the inauguration, several opposition leaders had criticised the depiction of the four lions in the State Emblem.
The newly-installed Ashokan lions have been designed by Sunil Deore.