Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the new parliament building to the nation on May 28 and urged the opposition to desist from “politicising” the event as it was an “emotional” process to link the new India with old traditions.
Speaking at a press conference, Amit Shah said, “We should not politicise this (inauguration of new Parliament building) issue, let people think and react however they want to.”
The Union Home Minister’s reaction was to the boycott call given by 19 opposition parties on the government’s decision to invite the Prime Minister and not the President to inaugurate the new parliament building, which is adjacent to the old one.
“The new Parliament building has been constructed in record time and the PM will felicitate and honour 60,000 workers who built it. The new Parliament building shows PM Modi’s long-term vision,” Shah told reporters.
Sengol- a historical symbol
He also made public that on the day, “Sengol”, a symbol of transfer of power in Tamil culture, will be installed in a prominent position in the parliament building.
“A historical event is repeating itself. It is called Sengol in Tamil. It is historical with wealth. It is related to the tradition of the country. Sengol is a cultural heritage. This incident is related to August 14, 1947. This Sengol has played an important role in history. However, it did not come to our notice for years. Nehru accepted it from the Britishers on August 14, 1947,” described Shah at the press meet.
Sengol holds huge importance in Indian culture, especially Tamil culture, he stated.
History has it that Viceroy Lord Mountbatten posed a query to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru: “What is the ceremony that should be followed to symbolise the transfer of power from British to Indian hands?”
Nehru consulted veteran Shri C Rajagopalachari (Rajaji), who identified the Chola model where the transfer of power from one King to the other was sanctified and blessed by high priests. The symbol used was the handover of the “Sengol” from one King to his successor.