'Issue of perspective': what a senior archaeologist said about new national emblem statue

Amid the controversy over the new national emblem sculpture that has been installed on top of the new under-construction Parliament building, a senior archaeologist has dismissed accusations that there is a change in the expression of the Ashoka lions as an issue of perspective.

Dr Budha Rashmi Mani, former Director General of the National Museum and former Additional Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, has said that the original sculpture, referred to as Lion Capital of Sarnath, is 7-8 feet in height while the new one is 21 feet and therefore there is bound to be a difference. He added that when an installation that tall is from the ground it may seem that there are some distortions.

He also said that from the images that he has seen the new national emblem installation appears to be a good copy of the original Sarnath emblem.

Also watch: Explained: why Opposition is slamming Modi govt over new national emblem installation

The Opposition has accused the Modi-led central govt of making changes to the national emblem and said that the Ashoka lions in the new installation appear to be agressive while the Sarnath ones bear a gentle expression.