New Delhi:The controversy surrounding the 'Sengol' as a representation of the 'transfer of power' took a contentious turn when Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to Congress, accusing the party of harbouring disdain for Indian traditions and culture. This reaction came in the wake of Jairam Ramesh, Congress Communication chief, expressing on Twitter that there is a lack of documented evidence supporting the notion that Mountbatten, Rajaji, or Nehru described the 'Sengol' as a symbol of the transfer of power from the British colonial empire to India.
Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah said, "Why does the Congress party hate Indian traditions and culture so much? A sacred Sengol was given to Pandit Nehru by a holy Saivite Mutt from Tamil Nadu to symbolize India’s freedom but it was banished to a museum as a ‘walking stick’."
After Congress leader Jairam Ramesh dismissed the suggestion that this sceptre represents the transfer of power from the British to India as completely 'BOGUS', the Union Minister said, "Now, Congress has heaped another shameful insult. The Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam, a holy Saivite Mutt, itself spoke about the importance of the Sengol at the time of India’s freedom struggle. Congress is calling Adheenam’s history BOGUS! Congress needs to reflect on their behaviour."
Hitting back at Congress and other parties over their move to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by PM Narendra Modi, BJP national president J P Nadda accused Congress and other Opposition parties of putting politics above the nation. He tweeted, "What connects most parties which are boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building? The answer is simple - they are dynasty-run political parties, whose monarchic methods are at loggerheads with the principles of republicanism and democracy in our Constitution."