The controversy began when Mr Chaudhary questioned the appropriateness of the 'Sengol'.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today slammed the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the opposition INDIA bloc for their remarks on the 'Sengol', accusing them of disrespecting Indian history and Tamil culture. Mr Adityanath's comments come in response to a growing political controversy ignited by Samajwadi Party MP RK Chaudhary's critical remarks about the presence of the 'Sengol' in Parliament.
"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. The 'Sengol' is India's pride and it is a matter of honour that Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi Ji accorded it the highest respect in the Parliament," Mr Adityanath wrote on X.
The controversy began when Mr Chaudhary questioned the appropriateness of the 'Sengol', which he dubbed as a symbol of monarchy, being installed in Parliament. He argued that the Constitution, not a relic of royal authority, should be the primary symbol in India's legislative body.
"The Constitution is the symbol of democracy. The BJP government, under PM Modi, installed the 'Sengol' in Parliament. 'Sengol' means 'Raj-Dand' or '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," said Chaudhary.
On May 28, last year, PM Modi installed the Sengol in the Lok Sabha chamber, next to the Speaker's chair in the new Parliament building. This 'Sengol' was previously accepted by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on the night of August 14, 1947. The 'Sengol' is about five feet long, adorned with precious stones, and has a golden orb at the top. Its name comes from the Tamil word "Semmai," which means righteousness. The installation was seen as a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage and a symbolic gesture of continuity between India's past and present governance.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav defended Mr Chaudhary, suggesting his remarks were intended as a reminder for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to uphold democratic principles. "When the 'Sengol' was installed, the PM bowed before it. He might have forgotten this while taking the oath. Maybe our MP's remark was to remind him of that," Mr Yadav stated.
Adding to the chorus of criticism, Congress MP Manickam Tagore endorsed Mr Chaudhary's demand, accusing the government of creating unnecessary drama during the Parliament's inauguration.
The BJP swiftly condemned the opposition's stance. "The Samajwadi Party opposes 'Sengol' in Parliament, calling it 'Raja ka Dand'. If it was so, why did Jawaharlal Nehru accept it? This shows their mindset. They attack Ramcharitmanas and now 'Sengol'. Does DMK support this insult? They must clarify," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said.