Old Debate In New Parliament: Sengol Back As INDI Vs NDA Flashpoint | Know the Controversy

New Delhi: Raking up the year-old controversy surrounding the sacred ‘Sengol,' the INDI alliance on Thursday demanded its removal from the Lok Sabha, calling it an anachronistic symbol of monarchy in a democratic India.  

The Samajwadi Party MP from Mohanlalganj, RK Chaudhary, brought back the ‘Sengol’ row by addressing a letter to pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, RK Chaudhary, seeking Sengol to be replaced with the Constitution.  

Emphasising rationale behind the demand, Chaudhary said, "Sengol means 'Raj Dand'. It also means 'Raja ka Danda'. After ending the princely order, the country became independent. Will the country be run by 'Raja ka danda' or the Constitution? I demand that Sengol be removed from Parliament to save the Constitution."

In a historic event, the Sengol was installed in the Lok Sabha during the inauguration of the new Parliament complex in May last year. The event was headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who performed the rituals for its installation next to Lok Sabha Speaker's chair.

Tamil Culture Insulted: BJP Retorts 

The INDI bloc MP's remarks on Sengol drew flak from the BJP which accused the Samajwadi Party of insulting an integral part of Indian and Tamil culture.

Notably, it was the same Sengol that India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru accepted at his residence on the night of August 14, in the presence of several Indian and British leaders.

"If it was a symbol of monarchy, then why did the first Prime Minister Nehru accept it? Was he accepting that symbol and monarchy," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.

LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Chirag Paswan also trained guns at the INDI bloc, saying Congress and Congress-led governments have always attempted to misrepresent historical symbols. "These people cannot do positive politics... These people only do politics of division," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also slammed the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP for not respecting the Indian history and culture. “Samajwadi Party has no respect for Indian history or culture. The remarks of their top leaders on the Sengol are condemnable and indicate their ignorance. It also shows INDI Alliance's hatred to Tamil culture in particular.” 

INDI Bloc Backs SP Neta's Demand

Defending Chaudhary's remark on Sengol, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the MP was only seeking to point out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not bow before the Sengol after taking oath in the Lok Sabha.

“I think our MP might be saying that because when it (Sengol) was installed, the PM had bowed before it. He perhaps forgot it while taking oath... When the PM forgot to bow before it, maybe he too wanted something else.”

Jumping into the controversy, RJD MP Misa Bharti held that Sengol should be removed from the Parliament as India represents world's largest democracy. "The Sengol should be kept in the museum where people can come and see it," she added.

Sengol Controversy: All You Need to Know

It was May, 2023, when for the first time the controversy around Sengol hit headlines. PM Modi installed the sacred ‘Sengol’ from Tamil Nadu in the Lok Sabha, right next to the Speaker's chair, in the new Parliament after performing the rituals in May last year. 

Derived from the Tamil word 'semmai,' meaning 'righteousness,' the historical sceptre known as 'Sengol' has captured attention in recent days. According to popular belief, the Adheenam of Tamil Nadu presented the 'Sengol' to Jawaharlal Nehru in August 1947, symbolizing the transfer of power from the British to the Indian people.

After the installation of Sengol, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that it's the symbol of the transfer of power to India from the Britishers on the 14th of August in 1947. 

The Congress was quick to submit its response with party leader Jairam Ramesh claiming that there was no documented evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C Rajagopalachari and Jawaharlal Nehru describing the 'Sengol' as a symbol of the transfer of power by the British to India. 

Taking a swipe at the BJP, he further added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "drum-beaters are using the ceremonial sceptre for their political ends in Tamil Nadu."

"Is it any surprise that the new Parliament is being consecrated with typically false narratives from the WhatsApp University? The BJP/RSS Distorians stand exposed yet again with Maximum Claims, Minimum Evidence. A majestic sceptre conceived of by a religious establishment in then Madras province and crafted in Madras city was indeed presented to Nehru in August 1947. There is NO documented evidence whatsoever of Mountbatten, Rajaji & Nehru describing this sceptre as a symbol of transfer of British power to India. All claims to this effect are plain and simple — BOGUS," Ramesh said. 

In fiery response to Ramesh's claims, Shah criticised the grand old party saying that the remarks are a "shameful insult" while asking, "Why does the Congress party hate Indian traditions and culture so much?".

"A sacred Sengol was given to Pandit Nehru by a holy Saivite Mutt from Tamil Nadu to symbolize India’s freedom but it was banished to a museum as a ‘walking stick’," the home minister said in a series of tweets.

The Sengol, whose installation in the new Parliament drew massive controversy in the end of 17th Lok Sabha, has again been brought up to the fore in the beginning of the 18th Lok Sabha session.