The opposition's push to keep the Constitution front and centre by asking for the 'sengol', a sceptre kept next to the Speaker's chair in the Lok Sabha, to be replaced by a copy of the text has led to a strong pushback by the government, which has accused the INDIA alliance of disrespecting the baton and what it symbolises.
Reacting to Samajwadi Party MP RK Chaudhary writing to Speaker Om Birla and asking for the 'sengol' to be replaced by a copy of the Constitution, junior Parliamentary Affairs Minister L Murugan said on Thursday that the sceptre is the pride of every Tamilian.
"It is also mentioned in Tirukkural (a classic Tamil text by poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar), which spoke about how the sengol plays a role in government. When India got freedom, (Governor General) Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru had spoken about how power would be handed over after Independence and when Rajaji (C Rajagopalachari) was consulted, he said it can be done using a sengol," Mr Murugan, who is also a former president of the Tamil Nadu BJP, said.
The five-foot-long sceptre, made of gold, was commissioned by the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam (math pontiff) and sent to Delhi. The minister said that the 'sengol' was given to Nehru after conducting rituals but it "was not valued" and sent somewhere.
"Then, PM Narendra Modi found out where the 'sengol' was kept (Allahabad Museum) and brought it to the new Parliament building. It was installed in the new Parliament after rituals were conducted by Tamil Nadu Adheenams. The sengol symbolises a fair government. The INDIA alliance does not value the sengol. Its attitude is condemnable," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Mr Chaudhary, the Samajwadi Party (SP) MP from Mohanlalganj, had sparked a row by asking for the 'sengol' to be replaced to "save democracy".
"The adoption of the Constitution marked the beginning of democracy in the country, and the Constitution is its symbol. The BJP government in its last term installed 'sengol' next to the Speaker's chair. Sengol is a Tamil word that means sceptre. Rajdand also means the king's stick. We have become independent after the age of kings. Now, every man and woman who is an eligible voter chooses the government to run this country. So will the country run by Constitution or by a king's stick?" the SP leader said.
His demand was backed by senior Congress leader and MP B Manickam Tagore, an MP from Tamil Nadu, who said, "We have been very clear that the 'sengol' symbolises kingship and the kingdom-era is over. We should celebrate the people's democracy and the Constitution."
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hit out at the Samajwadi Party and said the demand reflects the INDIA bloc's "hatred" for Tamil 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 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," the chief minister posted on X.
The 'sengol' was installed in the new Parliament on May 28 last year.
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