Prime Minister Narendra modi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the new Parliament building in New Delhi and installed the sacred ‘Sengol’ from Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha chamber, adopting it as a national symbol of the Amrit Kaal. The ‘Sengol’ was accepted by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947. Modi performed a puja and carried the “Sengol” in a procession amid tunes of “nadaswaram” to the new Parliament building and installed it in a special enclosure on the right side of the Speaker’s chair in the Lok Sabha chamber.
Sengol is a 5-foot long
The Sengol is a 5-foot long, 2-inch-thick gold-plated sceptre that was presented to India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1947 by two Hindu holy men. It has a core made of silver and features intricate designs, as well as a carving of the sacred Nandi animal on top.
The practice of presenting a sceptre to a new leader originated from the Chola dynasty, which ruled southern India. The Sengol is considered to be a symbol of power, justice, transfer of power, and good governance in Indian history.
The Sengol sceptre, a symbol of power presented to Indian kings during their coronation, is the subject of controversy in India’s political arena. The Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam will present the Sengol to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will place it next to the Speaker’s Chair in the new Parliament building on 28th May.
Congress party Nehru Claim
The Congress party has disputed the authenticity of the Sengol and its presentation to Jawaharlal Nehru. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has claimed that there is no documented evidence of the Sengol’s history. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has commented that the Sengol sceptre symbolizes a continuity of tradition.
However, the Congress party has rejected the BJP’s claim that the Sengol symbolized the transfer of power from the British to an independent India. The political significance of the Sengol’s presentation should not be underestimated, as it serves as part of the BJP’s outreach to Tamil Nadu.
Amit Malviya
The BJP had said on Thursday that the Congress had disrespected Hindu customs by referring to the revered “Sengol” as a “golden stick gifted” to India’s first prime minister Nehru and hiding it in a museum. According to BJP leader Amit Malviya, the handing over of the “sacred ‘Sengol'” to Nehru on the eve of India’s Independence marked the precise moment when control of India passed from the British to the country.
