Vivek Agnihotri Reacts To Ongoing National Emblem Row; 'Urban Naxals Want A Silent Lion Without Teeth'

Amid the row over the alleged distortions in the sculpture of the national emblem which has been placed atop the new Parliament building, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri took to his Twitter handle to share his opinion on this topic.

The Kashmir Files director wrote in a tweet, "The new #NationalEmblem at the #CentralVista has proved one thing that #UrbanNaxals can be fooled just by changing the angle. Specially the LOW angle."

He also reshared a tweet of lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan and wrote, "#UrbanNaxals want a silent lion without teeth. So that they can use it as a pet."

On the other hand, Anupam Kher tweeted a video shot at Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya and wrote in Hindi, "अरे भाई! शेर के दांत होंगे तो दिखाएगा ही! आख़िरकार स्वतंत्र भारत का शेर है। ज़रूरत पड़ी तो काट भी सकता है! जय हिंद! (If the lion has got teeth, it will, of course, show them. This is, after all, the lion of independent India. If needed, the lion will bite also. Jai Hind)."

After the national emblem was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Parliament's new building, Opposition parties alleged that the government has distorted and insulted the national emblem by replacing the "graceful and regally confident" Ashoka lions with those having menacing and aggressive posture and sought immediate change.

However, Sunil Deore, one of the sculptors who was commissioned the task to sculpt the Sarnath original in bronze, denied these allegations and told Indian Express that the perceived difference in the lions' expression is due to the angle of the view and dimensions. He said that if one looks at the Sarnath 'Lion Capital' from below, it will look the same as how the Parliament emblem does.

Speaking about Vivek Agnihotri, the filmmaker last helmed The Kashmir Files. The film captured the pain, suffering, and struggles of the Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley in 1990s. Upon its release, The Kashmir Files was well received by the audience and the film turned out to be one of the major blockbusters of 2022 with a lifetime collection of Rs 252.90 Crore at the box office.