Samajwadi Party MP Wants Constitution To Replace 'Sengol', BJP Hits Back
NDTV
Akhilesh Yadav said Prime Minister Narendra Modi forgot to bow to the 'sengol' while taking the oath this time
The 'sengol' installed next to the Speaker's chair in Lok Sabha has emerged as the latest flashpoint this Parliament session after Opposition MPs questioned its relevance in a democracy and the BJP accused them of disrespecting Indian culture.
The ongoing debate over 'sengol', a handcrafted, gold-plated sceptre about 5-feet long, has been triggered by Samajwadi Party MP RK Chaudhary's letter to Speaker Om Birla. The MP from Mohanlalganj has said the 'sengol' must be replaced by a copy of the Constitution.
"The adoption of the Constitution marked the beginning of democracy in the country, and the Constitution is its symbol. The BJP government in its last term installed 'sengol' next to the Speaker's chair. Sengol is a Tamil word that means sceptre. Rajdand also means the king's stick. We have become independent after the age of kings. Now, every man and woman who is an eligible voter chooses the government to run this country. So will the country run by Constitution or by a king's stick?" he told news agency ANI. The former Uttar Pradesh minister demanded that the 'sengol' be replaced by a copy of the Constitution to "save democracy".
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