Why did priceless Sengol become Nehru's walking stick, asks BJP

Why did the glorious Sengol become Nehru's walking stick, the Bharatiya Janata Party asked amid calls from the Opposition to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament, scheduled to take place on May 28. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted a picture of how the Sengol was displayed at a museum in Prayagraj -- with the sceptre being called: 'Golden walking stick gifted to Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru' and said, "The vesting of the sacred Sengol with Jawaharlal Nehru, on the eve of India’s Independence, was the exact moment of transfer of power from the British to India," Malviya tweeted. "But instead of being given the pride of its place, it was tucked away in Anand Bhavan, and called the golden stick ‘gifted’ to Nehru. Such is the disdain for Hindu rituals in the Congress."

The Sengol is making headlines after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that symbol of good governance will feature prominently in India's new Parliament. 

This Sengol was made in Madras by a jeweller, Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, under the guidance of a Tamil Nadu seer. Coated with gold and silver with carvings of a 'Nandi' and goddess Lakshmi, was handed over to British Viceroy Lord Mountbatten before India's independence and later handed over to the nation's first Prime Minister Pandit Nehru on August 14, 1947, as a symbol for the transfer of power from the British Raj. 

Jithendra Vummidi, the great-grandson of Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, whose family now runs the Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers said that the Sengol was blessed with prayers before it went to Mountbatten and later the Indian PM. 

This practice of handing over the scepter dates back to the Chola Empire where it was traditional for spiritual leaders to lead the coronation of kings and sanctify the transfer of power and thus recognise the new ruler. 

'A bitter campaign against the President...'

At least 19 opposition parties, including Congress, AAP, SP and TMC have jointly agreed to boycott the inauguration event as they object to PM Modi and not President Droupadi Murmu inaugurating the new building. Responding to the Congress party's allegations of insulting the President by not inaugurate her to the event. 

While opposition parties such as Congress, Samajwadi Party, NCP, CPI(M), RJD and JMM among others have announced a boycott, other parties like Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Chandrababu Naidu's TDP will attend the ceremony. Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, who leads the YSR Congress will also be present. 

"Parties which today see the Rashtrapati as a very eminent leader from a tribal background, are the ones who carried out a very bitter campaign against her. They've suddenly awakened now," Finance Minister said. She even urged them to rethink their decision to boycott the historic inauguration and attend the ceremony. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the inauguration should not be politicised adding "let people think and react however they want to." BJP national vice president Raman Singh said, "Congress is showing dual-face by doing politics on the new Parliament building" whereas Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri reminded the opposition of inaugurations done by the Gandhi family in the past.