The Narendra Modi government has decided to inaugurate the new Parliament building on May 28, birth anniversary of Hindu Rashtra proponent V.D. Savarkar who was an accused in the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case.

It’s anyone’s guess whether another event of May 28 — India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s funeral took place on this day in 1964 — had flitted through the government’s mind while choosing the date. However, it was clear that the Savarkar symbolism drove the decision.

Social media pulsed with the RSS-BJP ecosystem’s excitement over the choice of the date.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Parliament building on 28th May 2023, which is also the 140th birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the great son of India,” BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted.

“Veer Savarkar was born on 28th May 1883 in Bhagur. The new Parliament is designed to last at least 150 years. The current premise has been in existence for 100 years now.”

For well over half a century, Savarkar had been persona non grata for most players in Indian politics. During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government’s tenure, the unveiling of his portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament had triggered national outrage.

Savarkar had been in jail with other accused, including Nathuram Godse, in the Gandhi murder case before being let off for want of sufficient evidence. His anti-Muslim ideology prevented him from getting legitimacy for decades.

Even his status as a freedom fighter had remained under a cloud since he had filed multiple mercy petitions to get out of jail and promised to serve the British rulers’ interests — a fact repeatedly invoked by Rahul Gandhi.

Trinamul MP Sukhendu Shekhar Ray tweeted: “26 November 2023 — Indian Constitution which gifted parliamentary democracy to the nation shall step into 75th year, which would’ve been befitting for inauguration of new Sansad Bhawan. But it shall be done on 28 May, birthday of Savarkar — How much relevant?”

Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh replied: “A complete insult to all our Founding Fathers and Mothers. A total rejection of Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Bose, et al. A blatant repudiation of Dr Ambedkar.”

Questions of propriety have been raised also over the decision to have the Prime Minister do the inauguration instead of President Droupadi Murmu.

A similar controversy had broken out when Modi laid the foundation for the new building instead of the President.

RJD member Manoj Jha tweeted: “Shouldn’t the honourable President be inaugurating the new Sansad Bhawan? I leave it at that…. Jai Hind.”

To some, the question may have sounded naïve, for the Prime Minister is known to inaugurate virtually everything from the Vande Bharat Express to Metro railways, and tends to hog the limelight even at the distribution of appointment letters for government jobs.

Modi had acted as a sort of “chief priest of India” when the foundation for the Ram temple in Ayodhya was laid.

When it was made public that the Prime Minister would inaugurate the new Parliament building, and photographs showing Modi in a safety helmet inside the new House were circulated, Ramesh had called it a “personal vanity project”.

“The sole architect, designer and worker for the new Parliament building, which he will inaugurate on May 28th. The picture tells it all — personal vanity project,” he tweeted.

Many people argued on social media that the new Parliament building should be inaugurated either by the President or either of the two presiding officers — the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairperson.

The Constitution earmarks the supremacy of the President by saying: “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.”

Some have also questioned the hype around the new building at a time democracy is in peril in the country.

Congress Lok Sabha member Manickam Tagore argued that Parliament was not about a building or the space and facilities it offers but about freedom of speech and democratic values.

He referred to the crackdown on the Opposition’s activities and to MPs’ mikes being switched off, wondering whether the situation would improve in the new building.

Congress member Manish Tewari tweeted: “Do we need a NEW Parliament building or a Parliament that functions? From 1952-71 Parliament met for around 120 days a year. Today it is less than 60 days.”

He added: “Even on days it meets disruption is the norm and functioning an exception with Treasury benches leading the disruption now.”