New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Sengol from Adheenams a day before the inauguration ceremony of the new parliament building. The ceremony was held at the PM's official residence here on Saturday.
The Adheenams, who arrived from Tamil Nadu earlier in the day, met Modi at his residence and handed him special gifts including 'Sengols' amid chanting of 'mantras'.Modi sought their blessings and also honoured them.
The prime minister will on Sunday inaugurate the new Parliament building, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, amid a boycott by several Opposition parties which insist that President Droupadi Murmu as head of the State should do the honours.
On Friday, Modi said the new Parliament building will make every Indian proud and shared a video of the new complex.
Sengol controversy
Opposition parties including Congress and CPM criticised the BJP's decision to install Sengol in the parliament and alleged that BJP wants to impose autocracy in India and declare Modi as King. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday 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 also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his drum-beaters are using the ceremonial sceptre for their political ends in Tamil Nadu.
Taking a dig at BJP, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury stated that By bringing the ‘Sengol’ from the museum to be ceremoniously handed over to Modi is symbolic of his ‘coronation’ invoking divine sanction.
“Displaying it prominently in the new Parliament building is symbolic of return to rule of ‘Raja & Praja’ destroying the Nation & Citizen’ democracy,” tweeted Yechury.
Tight security in Delhi
Security has been stepped up in Lutyens' Delhi ahead of the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday at an elaborate ceremony to be attended by many eminent personalities. Police have already issued a traffic advisory that the New Delhi district will be treated as a controlled area for the period and entry of vehicles will be restricted.
The Parliament Building is located in a high-security area. Besides additional deployment, there is continuous monitoring through CCTV cameras, the police said.
While around 20 parties have announced a boycott of the ceremony, agitating wrestlers, who are demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing seven women grapplers, are threatening to hold a protest meeting before the new Parliament building on Sunday.
However, an official said that no permission has been given for the 'women maha panchayat announced by the wrestlers, who have been staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar - about 3 km from Parliament complex.
A police official said that adequate security personnel have been deployed near the Parliament building, but refused to go into details.
Police pickets were being set up in central Delhi and tight security arrangements will be made to maintain law and order, the official said.
Also, security has been enhanced along the capital's border entry points. "Pickets will be installed and police will check the vehicles entering from borders," another official said.
Ceremony to begin with havan
The ceremony to inaugurate the new Parliament building on Sunday will begin with an early morning havan and multi-faith prayers followed by the formal opening by Prime Minister Modi.
Representatives of as many as 25 parties and many dignitaries, including chief ministers and ministers, are expected to attend the inauguration. The Sengol will be installed near the chair of the Speaker in the new Parliament building.
Former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh among others are expected to be present during the formal inauguration of the new complex.
The triangular-shaped four-storey Parliament building has a built-up area of 64,500 sqm. The building has three main gates -- Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar
(With PTI inputs)
