A new political slugfest erupted ahead of the much debated special parliament session regarding a new dress code with lotus print for parliament staff as Congress dubbed it as a "cheap" tactics to promote the ruling party's poll symbol.
According to an internal circular issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the marshals, security staff and officials, chamber attendants and drivers have been issued new uniforms which they have to don once the new parliament building starts functioning.
The parliament session is scheduled to begin on September 18 in the old building.
The parliament proceedings are expected to shift to the new building on September 19 on Ganesh Chaturthi, which is considered auspicious for making new beginnings.
War of words
The war of words erupted as Congress accused the BJP of making the "Parliament a one-sided partisan thing" and wondered why the lotus motif was used in the dress designs.
"Why lotus only? Why can't a peacock or why can't a tiger? Oh, they're not BJP party election symbol. Why this fall sir Om Birla," Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore said on X.
"How cheap they are. They did it in G20 also. Now also they are doing it and saying it is the national flower," he said. "This kind of pettiness is not right. Hope the BJP grows up and not make the Parliament a one-sided partisan thing," he alleged.
Tagore said the Parliament is becoming a part of a party's symbol. "It is unfortunate. The Parliament was above all parties. It shows that the BJP is interfering in every other institution," he said.
Who will wear what?
As per media reports, the male employees at the Parliament House will don cream-colored jackets adorned with pink lotus prints while their female counterparts will receive new sarees, replacing the old ones. Completing their ensemble, the male employees will sport khaki-colored pants.
Women officers have been assigned bright coloured sarees with jackets to be worn during winters.
The bandhgala suits, which used to be donned by the bureaucrats, will now be replaced by Majenta or deep pink jackets while their shirts will also feature a deep pink hue with lotus flower designs.
Moreover, the revised attire for the marshals in both houses of Parliament will now also include Manipuri turban
The Parliament Security Staff will be seen in army camouflage pattern fatigues instead of the blue safari suits.
