PM Narendra Modi has attacked the Congress for keeping the 'Sengol' in a museum
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took a swipe at the Congress for not giving the historical sceptre Sengol "due respect" a day before the inauguration of the new parliament, where the Sengol will be installed.
"...It would have been good if the holy Sengol would have been given its due respect after independence and given an honourable position. But this Sengol was kept on display as a walking stick in Anand Bhawan, Prayagraj. Your sevak and our government have brought the Sengol out of Anand Bhawan," PM Modi said after meeting the Adheenams at his Delhi home and taking their blessings.
Nearly 60 religious heads have been called for the event, many of whom are from Tamil Nadu. Adheenams or mutts of Tamil Nadu have a history of resisting upper caste domination, and are known for taking religion to the masses. Many of them are hundreds of years old.
The Thiruvavaduthurai adheenam that was given the task of getting the Sengol or sceptre ready for the transfer of power is itself 400 years old.
The Sengol, first received by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru from the British, had been kept in a museum in Allahabad until now. It will be placed near the chair of the Lok Sabha Speaker in the new parliament building.
The Congress has rejected the BJP's claim that the Sengol symbolised the transfer of power from the British to an independent India.
BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, has hit back, saying the Congress needs to "reflect" on its behaviour. Mr Shah rejected the Congress's claim that there was no evidence of the Sengol being a symbol of transfer of power.
According to the tentative schedule, PM Modi will arrive at the new parliament at 7.15 am tomorrow, followed by a puja 15 minutes later. He will enter the Lok Sabha chamber at 8.35 am.
With carpets from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, bamboo flooring from Tripura and stone carvings from Rajasthan, the new parliament building reflects India's diverse culture. The government has announced a commemorative Rs 75 coin to mark the historic event.