Samajwadi Party MP 'Sengol' demand triggers INDIA-NDA slugfest
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP RK Chaudhary has ignited a political firestorm by demanding the removal of the 'Sengol' from the Lok Sabha. In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Chaudhary questioned the relevance of the sceptre in a democracy. Chaudhary referred to it as "Raja Ka danda" (the king's stick), an outdated symbol of monarchy. He argued that after ending the princely order, India became independent and should be governed by the Constitution, not by a monarchic symbol.
Chaudhary's demand: A symbol of democracy or monarchy?
"Will the country be run by 'Raja ka danda' or the Constitution? I demand that Sengol be removed from Parliament to save the Constitution," Chaudhary was quoted as saying by ANI. Chaudhary's comments have elicited responses from leaders of various political parties. Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders supported his stance, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) criticized him for allegedly demeaning Tamil culture.
SP chief and Congress MP support Chaudhary's demand
Coming to Chaudhary's defense, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav suggested that his colleague's demands were intended to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his reverence for the Sengol during its installation. "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," Yadav said. Congress MP Manickam Tagore also supported Chaudhary's demand, criticizing the government for creating high drama during the Parliament inauguration.
Chaudhary's demand sparks reactions across party lines
On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla questioned "why Jawaharlal Nehru accepted the Sengol if it resembled the Raja ka Danda." "First, they attack and abuse Ramcharitmanas, now Sengol, which is part of Indian and Tamil culture. Does DMK support this kind of insult of Sengol, they must clarify. The question is that the mindset to reduce Sengol to a walking stick for decades has once again come in the form of Samajwadi Party," he said.
'Sengol' installation in Parliament
Lord Mountbatten handed over the five-foot-long scepter, made of silver and gold, to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on August 14, 1947, as a symbol of power transfer. The Sengol was housed at the Allahabad Museum for 70 years before being relocated to its current location in the new Parliament upon the building's inauguration by PM Modi in 2023. It was handed over to PM Modi by Adheenam priests from Tamil Nadu.
