A political row erupted on Friday, May 26, after Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that the BJP government’s assertion that the historic sceptre ‘Sengol’ was used as a symbol of the transfer of power is ‘bogus.’ Today (Saturday, May 27), Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Jethmalani took to Twitter to voice his disapproval of the lies Congress has been peddling over the Chola Dynasty Sceptre, which would be installed at the new parliament building on May 28 following its inauguration.
Launching a counter-offensive, the Rajya Sabha MP said that Congress’ claim that the Sengol or the Sceptre was not a symbol of the transfer of power but a gift to Jawaharlal Nehru, appears to be a cover-up for the flagrant misuse of a priceless emblem of Indian sovereignty.
Anand Bhavan the Nehru family home ( now owned by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Trust with Sonia Gandhi as its President) in which the #Sengol was displayed before its recovery for its restoration to Parliament is already embroiled in a house tax issue for Rs 4.35 crores with the…
— Mahesh Jethmalani (@JethmalaniM) May 27, 2023
“The Congress (notably my glib of tongue friend Jairam Ramesh) is at pains to point out that the narrative of the Sengol as a symbol of transfer of power is a fake one spun by the BJP. Seems to me a major reason for this Congress defence is a cover up for a case of blatant misappropriation of a priceless symbol of India’s sovereignty by passing off the Sengol as a gift to Nehru,” a part of the RS MP’s tweet read.
Mahesh Jethmalani asserted that the Congress intended to show that the Sengol is the personal property of the Nehru family which is why they claimed that the sceptre was a gift to Jawaharlal Nehru. He added that the Gandhi family could misappropriate the historic symbol in this manner, this is why the Sengol was placed in Anand Bhavan, the Nehru family residence (now owned by the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Trust, with Sonia Gandhi as President).
Notably, Anand Bhavan is the ancestral house of the Nehru family located in the present-day Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh. It was constructed by Motilal Nehru in the 1930s to serve as the residence of the Nehru family when the original mansion Swaraj Bhawan was transformed into the local headquarters of the Indian National Congress.
The Rajya Sabha MP also informed that Anand Bhavan, where the Sengol was placed as a ‘gift’ to Nehru from Mountbatten, is embroiled in a house tax issue for Rs 4.35 crores with the local municipality because the Bhavan was probably being used for commercial purposes.
It is important to note here that ever since Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that a Chola Dynasty Sceptre named Sengol will be placed at the new parliament building on 28 May after its inauguration, the Congress party has been making a major hue and cry about it. On Friday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed there is no documented evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C Rajagopalachari and Jawaharlal Nehru describing the ‘Sengol’ as a symbol of the transfer of power by the British to India. The senior Congress leader said claims to this effect are plain and simple — ‘bogus’.
Is it any surprise that the new Parliament is being consecrated with typically false narratives from the WhatsApp University? The BJP/RSS Distorians stand exposed yet again with Maximum Claims, Minimum Evidence.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 26, 2023
1. A majestic sceptre conceived of by a religious establishment in… pic.twitter.com/UXoqUB5OkC
Jairam Ramesh relied on reports by some media houses, including the Hindu and The News Minute, which claimed that there is no evidence of the Sengol being presented to Mountbatten and he giving it back as a symbolic gesture, saying it was directly ‘gifted’ to Nehru by the seers.
These reports were then used by Congress leaders and others in the opposition to mock the government over the issue. Jairam Ramesh said that the claim that the sceptre was used as a symbol of the transfer of power is bogus, calling it “Wholly and completely manufactured in the minds of a few and dispersed into WhatsApp.” He also said, “The sceptre is now being used by the PM & his drum-beaters for their political ends in Tamil Nadu. This is typical of this brigade that embroiders facts to suit its twisted objectives.”
Responding to these claims, Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam posted an official release on its Facebook page strongly, saying that Adheenam’s records support the govt version. They said that it has been documented in multiple sources that the Adheenam was invited to conduct a ritual to symbolise the transfer of power.
