Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday hit back at Congress over the 'Sengol' row. She claimed Sengol which is a symbol of our freedom was kept in a dark corner of a museum as a 'stick of Nehruji' by the Gandhi family.
"Some Congress leaders are suffering from the mentality of slavery.. Sengol is the symbol of India's democratic freedom. The opposition to the new Parliament is the opposition of the people of the country. Congress is disappointed with the achievements of the Modi government," Irani added.
Her attacks on Gandhi family comes hours after Congress questioned the authenticity of the government's narrative on the 'Sengol', which will be installed close to the Chair of the Lok Sabha speaker after the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28.
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. He further said that all claims circulating about 'Sengol' are "typically false narratives from WhatsApp University. He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his drum-beaters are using the ceremonial sceptre for their political ends in Tamil Nadu.
"Is it any surprise that the new Parliament is being consecrated with typically false narratives from WhatsApp University? The BJP/RSS Distorians stand exposed yet again with Maximum Claims, Minimum Evidence," said the Congress leader.
He claimed that a majestic sceptre conceived of by a religious establishment in the Madras province and crafted in Madras City (now Chennai) was indeed presented to Nehru in August 1947. "A majestic sceptre conceived of by a religious establishment in then Madras province and crafted in Madras city was indeed presented to Nehru in August 1947."
On the BJP claim that the golden sceptre was a symbol of the transfer of power and that it went into oblivion post-independence, Ramesh said, "There is no documented evidence whatsoever of Mountbatten, Rajaji and Nehru describing this sceptre as a symbol of the transfer of British power to India. All claims to this effect are plain and simple — BOGUS. Wholly and completely manufactured in the minds of a few and dispersed into WhatsApp, and now to the drum-beaters in the media. Two of the finest Rajaji scholars with impeccable credentials have expressed surprise."
