'Sengol', a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu, which was received by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent transfer of power from the British and was kept in a museum in Allahabad will be installed in the new Parliament building to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Wednesday. Shah said the purpose of the installation was clear then and even now.He said that the transfer of power is not merely a handshake or signing a document and that it must remain connected with local traditions keeping in mind modern needs.
"Sengol represents the same feeling that Jawaharlal Nehru felt on August 14, 1947," he said. The Home Minister said that new Parliament building is an example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's far-sightedness. He said the Prime Minister will honour 7,000 workers (shram yogis) on the inauguration. Shah said invitations for the inauguration of the new Parliament Building were sent to all political parties who were free to act according to their wisdom. The sengol came into being after a chain of events that started with a simple question by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of British India, to Prime Minister Nehru. According to historical accounts and news reports, Mountbatten had asked the soon-to-be-PM what would mark the transfer of power when India attains Independence. Prime Minister Nehru then turned to C Rajagopalachari, the country's last Governor General, for advice. Mr Rajagopalachari, commonly known as Rajaji, told Prime Minister Nehru about the Tamil tradition of the high priest handing over a sceptre to a new king when he comes to power. Rajaji, reports said, said this tradition was followed during the reign of the Cholas and suggested this could mark India's freedom from the Raj. It then fell upon Rajaji to arrange a sceptre for the historic moment.