Sengol "symbolises justice, not monarchy": Great grandson of jeweller who made it

"Sengol is a symbol of justice not a symbol of monarchy...Sengol is strategically kept behind the Speaker's chair to remind him to be just to all the parties in the parliament...Removing Sengol is equal to doing injustice..." Vummidi said speaking to ANI on Friday.

Amid the ongoing political controversy ignited by Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament RK Chaudhary's recent comments calling the 'Sengol' a symbol of the monarchy, Amarendran Vummidi, the great-grandson of jeweller Vummidi Bangaru Chetty who made the 'Sengol' said it symbolises "justice" and not monarchy. "Sengol is a symbol of justice not a symbol of monarchy...Sengol is strategically kept behind the Speaker's chair to remind him to be just to all the parties in the parliament...Removing Sengol is equal to doing injustice..." Vummidi said speaking to ANI on Friday.

Earlier on Thursday, RK Chaudhary sparked controversy by saying that the 'Sengol' which has been placed at the Parliament is a symbol of monarchy and should be removed. "The Constitution is the symbol of democracy. The BJP government, under PM Modi, installed the Sengol in Parliament. 'Sengol' means 'Raj-Dand' or 'Raja ka Danda'. After ending the princely order, the country became independent. Will the country be run by 'Raja ka danda' or the Constitution? I demand that Sengol be removed from Parliament to save the Constitution," the SP leader said.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav defended Chaudhary, suggesting that the remark might be a reminder for the Prime Minister. "When the Sengol was installed, the PM bowed before it. He might have forgotten this while taking the oath. Maybe our MP's remark was to remind him of that," Yadav stated.Congress MP Manickam Tagore supported Chaudhary's demand, criticizing the government for creating high drama during the Parliament inauguration. "This is a good suggestion from our Samajwadi Party colleague," said Tagore.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the SP MP's remarks are "condemnable and indicate their ignorance". Taking to the social media platform, Yogi Adityanath wrote, "Samajwadi Party has no respect for Indian history or culture. The remarks of their top leaders on the Sengol are condemnable and indicate their ignorance. It also shows INDI Alliance's hatred to Tamil culture in particular."

He further emphasised that the the Sengol is India's pride adding to that he said, "It is a matter of honour that Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji accorded it the highest respect in the Parliament." BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla condemned the SP's stance, accusing them of disrespecting Indian and Tamil culture.

On May 28, 2023, PM Narendra Modi installed the historic Sengol in the Lok Sabha chamber, next to the Speaker's chair in the new Parliament building, after performing a traditional puja. This Sengol, handed over to PM Modi by Adheenams, was previously accepted by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on the night of August 14, 1947. (ANI)

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