Assam CM Sarma accuses Left of disrespecting 'Sengol'

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Sengol was integral to our Independence but the Left has disrespected it.

Guwahati (Assam): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday alleged that the Left displayed disregard for Hindu traditions by relegating "Sengol" and said they relegated it as a nondescript 'walking stick'. "The Sengol was integral to our Independence but the Left relegated it as a nondescript 'walking stick' in a museum corner despite Pt Nehru's crucial role. Another instance of how an entire eco-system censored any event in history that glorified ancient Bharat and Hindu rituals," Assam CM tweeted.

The historic sceptre 'Sengol' was received by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on August 14, 1947, to represent the symbol of the transfer of power from the Britishers to India. The same spectre will be handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the head priest of Madurai Adheenam on May 28. This is the same Sengol that was accepted by the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru at his residence on the night of August 14, in the presence of several leaders.

Recalling the entire event that took place on the occasion of India's independence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Even after 75 years of independence, most of the people in India are not aware of this event in which India's transfer of power took place through handing over of Sengol to Pt Jawaharlal Nehru. It was a special occasion on the night of August 14, 1947, celebrating India's independence."

Shah further said, "On this night Jawaharlal Nehru received the 'Sengol' from the Adheenams (Priests) of the ThiruvaduthuraiAdheenam (Mutt) in Tamil Nadu, who had specially arrived for the occasion. It was precisely the moment in which power was transferred by the British into the hands of Indians. What we are celebrating as independence is actually marked by the very moment of handing over the 'Sengol'."

The Prime Minister took a decision to adopt the Sengol as a national symbol of the Amrit Kaal. The new building of Parliament will witness the very same event, with Adheenam (Priests) repeating the ceremony and vesting the PM with the Sengol. The same Sengol from 1947 will be installed by the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha, prominently close to the Speaker's podium.

It will be displayed for the Nation to see and will be taken out on special occasions. The establishment of "Sengol", makes the spirit of 15 August 1947 unforgettable. It is the symbol of the promise of boundless hope, boundless possibilities and a resolve to build a strong and prosperous nation.

The word Sengol is derived from the Tamil word 'Semmai', meaning 'Righteousness'. It is an Indic civilizational practice from the Chola kingdom, which was among the leading kingdoms in the Indian sub-continent for centuries. (ANI)