Sri La Sri Ambalavana Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, the 24th pontiff of Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, said on Saturday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the Sengol, a historic sceptre from the Chola dynasty, from the Allahabad museum and placed it in the new Parliament building. A pooja was performed, Thirumurai verses were sung, and Nadaswaram was played, during which all TN maha Aadhinams (seers) presented Sengole to PM Modi and placed it near the Speaker's chair in the new parliament premise.
The Sengol is a symbol of power and authority, and its placement in the new Parliament building is seen as a sign of respect for India's cultural heritage. The pontiff said that the Sengol will inspire the lawmakers to work for the betterment of the country.
The pontiff said: "PM Modi took the Sengol which was kept in the Allahabad museum and placed it in the new Parliament. Pooja was performed and Thirumurai verses were sung, Nadaswaram was played in which all TN maha Aadhinams (seers) gave Sengole to PM Modi and placed in the new parliament premise near the Speaker's chair," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Earlier on Friday, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh denied that the Sengol (sceptre) was a symbol of power transfer from the British to India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He also referred to the BJP as a "fake factory."
According to The Hindu, the head pontiff of the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam stated in an interview that there was no clear documentary evidence that the sceptre was presented to Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, before being handed over to Nehru.
"So the BJP's 'FakeFactory' is exposed today in The Hindu by none other than the revered head Swamigal of the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam himself." There was no Mountbatten, no Rajaji, and no participation in the official transfer of power on August 14, 1947. But, as I've been saying all along, the majestic 'Sengol' was indeed presented to Nehru," Ramesh said on Twitter.