Transfer of power is through will of people: Sibal's dig at BJP on Sengol row

The Congress and the BJP had engaged in a war of words over the historicity of the Sengol. While the BJP claimed that the Sengol represented the transfer of power from the British to the Indian government, the Congress in opposition has claimed the saffron party's argument to be 'bogus'.

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday said that in India, the transfer of power is through the will of the people who adopted this Constitution. On the other hand, according to the BJP's argument, the Sengol can symbolically mean the divine right to rule, Sibal said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on Sunday. He placed the Sengol at the Lok Sabha.

The BJP had earlier described the Sengol as a symbol of transfer of power from the British. The Congress and the BJP had engaged in a war of words over the historicity of the Sengol. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the Congress by saying that it would have been better if the Sengol had got its due respect after independence instead of keeping it on display as a "walking stick" at the Allahabad museum.

The Congress has claimed there was no documentary evidence that supports the BJP's claims that the Sengol was a symbol of transfer of power from the British to India. In a tweet Sibal said, "Sengol: BJP says: Symbol of transfer of power from the British. My take: In India transfer of power through Will of the people who gave to themselves this constitution. Sengol presented by Goddess Meenakshi to king of Madurai. Symbolises Divine right to rule."

Kapil Sibal was a Union minister during the UPA-1 and UPA-2 governments. However, the veteran politician quit the Congress in May last year. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an Independent member with the Samajwadi Party's support.