New Delhi:
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the BJP Thursday after videos showed the roof of the new Parliament building leaking due to heavy rain in Delhi, which has claimed nine lives so far and caused severe waterlogging in the city. He shared a video of a courtyard of the building, constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 1,000 crore showing water leaking from a domed glass roof, and into a blue bucket.
“The old Parliament building was better than this new. Why not go back to the old Parliament… at least till the time the water (stops) dripping in a parliament built with billions of rupees…”
Mr Yadav took a second swipe at the BJP, claiming “people are asking if water dripping from every new roof constructed under this government is a part of a well-thought out design or…”
इस नई संसद से अच्छी तो वो पुरानी संसद थी, जहाँ पुराने सांसद भी आकर मिल सकते थे। क्यों न फिर से पुरानी संसद चलें, कम-से-कम तब तक के लिए, जब तक अरबों रुपयों से बनी संसद में पानी टपकने का कार्यक्रम चल रहा है।
जनता पूछ रही है कि भाजपा सरकार में बनी हर नई छत से पानी टपकना, उनकी… pic.twitter.com/PpJ36k6RJm
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 1, 2024
The Lok Sabha Secretariat said the “minor water leakage” was due to adhesive strips on glass domes – “installed in parts of the building, including lobby, to utilise abundant natural light” – coming loose.
“During heavy rains on Wednesday, the adhesive used for fixing the glass domes over the lobby of the building came off slightly, leading to minor water leakage in the lobby,” the Secretariat said, adding, “The problem was detected and measures taken immediately. No further leakage was observed…”
Nevertheless, other opposition figures, including Trinamool Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra and Congress MP Manickam Tagore have mocked the BJP over the video.
“New parliament lobby is leaking water…” Ms Moitra posted on X, comparing the apparent leak to the BJP’s “shaky” election results; the saffron party claimed a third term in the April-June polls, but only with support from allies after falling 32 seats short of an outright majority.
Mr Tagore’s post referenced the exam paper leak row involving the NEET-UG medical course entrance tests, which the opposition has used to target the central government.
“Paper leakage outside, water leakage inside…” he declared.
Paper leakage outside,
water leakage inside. The recent water leakage in the Parliament lobby used by the President highlights urgent weather resilience issues in the new building, just a year after completion.
Moving Adjournment motion on this issue in Loksabha. #Parliamentpic.twitter.com/kNFJ9Ld21d— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) August 1, 2024
“The recent water leakage in the Parliament lobby used by President (Droupadi Murmu) highlights urgent weather resilience issues in the new building,” he also said, indicating he will move an adjournment notice in the Lok Sabha’s ongoing session to discuss this issue.
Not to be outdone, Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party, in a long-term pitched battle with the BJP over Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, posted, “Parliament built at cost of Rs 1,200 crore is now dependent on a bucket of Rs 120.”
₹1200 करोड़ से बनकर तैयार हुई संसद को अब ₹120 की बाल्टी का ही सहारा है ⁉️ pic.twitter.com/kKlJTEK81N
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) August 1, 2024
The government has yet to react to the video or the opposition’s jibes.
The digs come days after a video of water leaking from the roof of a Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Varanasi. A video shared by a passenger showed water pouring into the coach.
Northern Railway cited a ”temporary blockage of pipes” as the reason behind the leakage.
The Vande Bharat trains are among the government’s flagship schemes for the railways.
And, in June, there were reports of water leaking from the roof of the sanctum sanctorum, or inner chambers, of the grand Ram Temple consecrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a high-profile event in January, just weeks before the general election.
Chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das complained also of a lack of drainage.
READ | No Drainage, Roof Leaking After Rains: Ram Temple Priest
However, the temple’s administrative officials dismissed this claim, saying rainwater had dripped down pipes “fixed to install electric wires” amid construction work on the second floor.
READ | No Leakage In Ram Temple, Water Trickled From Pipes: Trust Chief
Delhi has been battling heavy rainfall over the past 24-48 hours.
READ | 9 Dead In Delhi-NCR, Schools Shut, Red Alert For Heavy Rain
The torrential downpour, which saw parts of the city receive record rainfall, prompted the India Meteorological Department to issue a ‘red alert’ for the city.
