Congress reducing ceremonial Sengol to 'walking stick': Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday accused the Congress of reducing the ceremonial sceptre Sengol to a "walking stick". He was responding to the Opposition attack on the BJP over the Parliament inauguration. The sceptre will be installed near the chair of the Speaker in the new Parliament building.

Shah said the Congress must "reflect" on its behaviour as he denounced the party's claim that there was no evidence of the Sengol being a symbol of transfer of power by the British to India in 1947. “Why does the Congress hate Indian traditions and culture so much? A sacred Sengol was given to Pandit Nehru by a holy Saivite Mutt from Tamil Nadu to symbolise India's freedom but it was banished to a museum as a 'walking stick',” the home minister tweeted.

“Now, Congress has heaped another shameful insult. The Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam, a holy Saivite Mutt, itself spoke about the importance of the Sengol at the time of India's freedom. Congress is calling the Adheenam's history as BOGUS! Congress needs to reflect on their behaviour,” he said.

Congress general secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh had alleged that there is no documented evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C. Rajagopalachari and Jawaharlal Nehru describing the Sengol as a symbol of transfer of power by the British to India. The party has also alleged that the sceptre is being used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his drum-beaters for their political ends in Tamil Nadu.

“Is it any surprise that the new Parliament is being consecrated with typically false narratives from WhatsApp University? The BJP-RSS distorians stand exposed yet again with maximum claims, minimum evidence,” Jairam said in his tweet.

He said the sceptre presented to Nehru was later kept for display at the Allahabad Museum. What Nehru said there on December 14, 1947 is a matter of public record despite whatever labels may say, Jairam added.