Samajwadi Party MP Wants 'Monarchy Symbol' Sengol Replaced With Constitution In Parliament

SP's R.K. Chaudhary even submitted a letter to pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, questioning the presence of the sengol next to the Speaker’s chair. BJP hit back with 'Nehru connection' to sengol. 

As President Droupadi Murmu arrived at the Parliament to address a joint session on Thursday, she was led into the House by an official carrying the 'sengol', the gold-plated sceptre installed near the Speaker's chair when the new Parliament House was inaugurated last year. However, the artefact has irked some MPs, who say the sceptre symbolises monarchy, and has no place in a democracy. 

The sengol is five feet long and has Nandi, Lord Shiva’s sacred bull, carved on the top. 'Sengol' comes from the Tamil word 'semmai', which means righteousness. It was originally handed over by Lord Mountbatten to India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to commemorate the country's Independence. Historically, it symbolised transfer of power during the Chola empire.

Samajwadi MP R.K. Chaudhary has demanded that the sengol be replaced with a large replica of the Constitution, saying it is an anachronistic symbol of monarchy in a democratic country.

After taking oath, he even submitted a letter to pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, questioning the presence of the sengol next to the Speaker’s chair. 

Agreeing with the SP leader, Congress MP Manickam Tagore told ANI, “The government has always been playing with this kind of thing, by placing the sengol. Making a high drama when the new Parliament was inaugurated. This is a good suggestion from my Samajwadi Party colleague.”

'Did Nehru Accept Monarchy?' BJP Asks

Union Minister and BJP leader Chirag Paswan weighed in on the controversy, and said, “It is beyond my understanding... have the people of your area chosen you for development work or to come here and do such controversial politics?

"The way such symbols have been tried to be shown in the wrong light for so many decades, today when they are given due respect by our Prime Minister, why are you offended by all these things? Why can’t these Opposition leaders think of positive politics?”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “The party that is a symbol of nepotism is again hell-bent on insulting such an integral part of Indian culture, Tamil culture. If it was a symbol of monarchy then why did the first Prime Minister Nehru accept it, was he accepting that symbol and monarchy?”