Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Amid torrential rain in Delhi, the new Parliament building, constructed at nearly Rs 1,000 crore, experienced a roof leak, drawing sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was among the first to take a swipe at the BJP, sharing a video of water leaking from a domed glass roof into a blue bucket.
“The old Parliament building was better than this new one. 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…” Yadav remarked.
Further mocking the BJP, Yadav questioned if the leaks from newly constructed roofs under the current government were part of a “well-thought-out design.”
The Lok Sabha Secretariat attributed the “minor water leakage” to adhesive strips on the glass domes, which were installed to utilize natural light, coming loose during the heavy rains. “The problem was detected and measures taken immediately. No further leakage was observed,” the Secretariat assured.
Other opposition figures, including Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra and Congress MP Manickam Tagore, also mocked the BJP over the incident. Moitra compared the leak to the BJP’s “shaky” election results, while Tagore linked it to the NEET-UG exam paper leak controversy, stating, “Paper leakage outside, water leakage inside…”
Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party, engaged in a long-standing conflict with the BJP, tweeted, “Parliament built at cost of Rs 1,200 crore is now dependent on a bucket of Rs 120.”
The government has yet to respond to the opposition’s jabs or the viral video of the leak.
This controversy comes on the heels of another water leakage incident involving a Vande Bharat train from Delhi to Varanasi, attributed to a temporary blockage of pipes by Northern Railway. Additionally, in June, reports emerged of water leaking from the roof of the Ram Temple’s inner chambers, although temple officials dismissed these claims.
Delhi has faced severe waterlogging and nine casualties due to the heavy rainfall over the past 24-48 hours, leading the India Meteorological Department to issue a ‘red alert’ for the city.
This incident has highlighted concerns about the weather resilience of newly constructed infrastructure and has become a focal point for political criticism amid ongoing monsoon challenges.