Parliament building inauguration: Shah says all parties invited amid boycott call

All political parties are invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28 and they will take a “call as per their wisdom”, Union home minister Amit Shah stated on Wednesday (May 24).

The home minister made this statement amid a boycott call against the event that was made by as many as 19 Opposition parties.

Addressing a press conference, Shah said during the inauguration, Sengol, a historical sceptre from Tamil Nadu that was received by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to represent the transfer of power from the British to Indians, will be installed in the new Parliament building. However, he asserted that the event should not be linked with politics.

Shah, who was flanked by information and broadcasting ninister Anurag Singh Thakur and culture minister G Kishan Reddy said, “The government of India has invited everyone to be present at the inauguration. Everyone will act as per their wisdom.” Shah was responding to a question from the media about the Opposition parties’ decision to boycott the Parliament building inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28.

Some Opposition parties announced the boycott of the function as they said it should have been done by President Droupadi Murmu.

Shah told the media that Sengol can’t be associated with politics. Sengol conveys the message that the government should run with justice and fairness and it should be rule-based, he said, adding that this message will go to the people and people’s representatives when it is installed in the new Parliament building.

Also read: Explainer: What is ‘Sengol’, who crafted it and what’s its significance?

“This is the real purpose. Don’t mix this with politics. This is an old tradition that is going to be connected with the new India. Politics has its own place. Everyone works as per their wisdom,” he said.

The home minister said that the new Parliament building is an example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s far-sightedness.

The Sengol will be installed near the chair of the Speaker in the new Parliament building.
He said the Prime Minister will also honour 60,000 workers (shram yogis) at the inauguration.

The home minister said the new Parliament building is a testament of the Prime Minister’s vision of creating a new India, which combines modernity with the country’s heritage and traditions. Shah said the purpose of the installation was clear then and even now and 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.

The Sengol to be installed in the new Parliament building is the original one received by Nehru.

Also read: Historically significant ‘Sengol’ will be installed in new Parliament building: Shah

On August 14, 1947, Sengol was used to transfer the power from British to Indian hands and it was accepted by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the presence of Rajendra Prasad, who later became India’s first President and many others.

The Sengol is special and the word is derived from the Tamil word Semmai, meaning righteousness. The historical sceptre was made of silver with gold coated and the sacred Nandi, with its unyielding gaze. The Nandi on top of the Sengol is symbolic of Nyaya (Justice).

“Sengol represents the same feeling that Jawaharlal Nehru felt on August 14, 1947,” he said.