The other day when India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the national emblem atop the new parliament Indians were in for a shock
The large bronze sculpture looked menacing almost like a man eater and far from the peaceful, benign lion symbol of Ashoka lion. Infact it looked even more ferocious than the Lions Club emblem.
As Modi looked up, the only thing missing was some blood.
Distorting the national emblem is an offence punishable by a jail term. But who will punish the Prime Minister?
The sculptor Sunil Deore however defends his art saying it looks menacing because of the low angle photo. At eye level and from a distance like when you look down from a Thai Airways plane it would look as peaceful as Buddha's 🦁.
The opposition is ofcourse baying for Modi's blood and several MPs have spoken up.
Before 2005 one could get away because there were no penal laws.
Like I recall fellow libertarian Sauvik Chakraverti giving me his visiting card.
It had the sarkari emblem embossed on it with a difference, there was a screw running through it.
It was risky doing that even then but throwing Sauvik in prison was a greater risk to the State - he would liberate the minds of his fellow prison mates and they would understand true freedom.
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