During his ongoing visit to the United States, Rahul Gandhi, a disqualified Member of Parliament from the Congress party, not only made derogatory remarks about Sengol and Hindu culture but also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the New Parliament building as a means to divert the public’s attention from real issues. He made these statements while addressing a gathering of Congress supporters in San Francisco during his week-long visit.
Gandhi’s remarks came in response to a question from a member of the Silicon Valley Christian Community, identified as Mr. Jay.
Jay asked for Gandhi’s views on the increase in Lok Sabha seats to 888, suggesting that Prime Minister Modi’s plan for delimitation based solely on population would favor highly populous states, leading to a disproportionate allocation of resources and benefits. He expressed concern about the vulnerability of minorities in such a scenario.
Gandhi responded by saying that he was not aware of how the BJP arrived at the number 800 and the criteria used for it. He emphasized that such decisions should not be taken lightly and that India is a country of diverse languages, people, histories, and cultures. He stressed the importance of a fair negotiation among all states.
When informed that the allocation is based on population, Gandhi commented that it depends on how the ratios change. However, he seemed visibly uncomfortable with the question and chose to mock Sengol, the New Parliament Building, and Prime Minister Modi simultaneously. He dismissed them as distractions from the real issues in India, such as unemployment, rising prices, growing anger and hatred, a deteriorating education system, and the high cost of education and healthcare. Gandhi suggested that the BJP avoids discussing these pressing concerns and resorts to theatrics instead. He humorously mentioned the “skepta” (Sceptre or Sengol) gesture associated with lying down and expressed satisfaction that he was not engaging in such theatrics, which garnered applause from the audience.
The Sengol was given to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru moments before Indian independence by the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam as a symbol of transfer of power.
This historic Sengol was languishing hitherto as Nehru’s “golden walking stick” in Anand Bhavan, the house museum in Prayagraj, which belongs to the Nehru family.
Rahul Gandhi is currently undertaking a 10-day trip to the United States, with San Francisco being his initial destination, followed by Washington DC and New York. It is noteworthy that his previous visit abroad, specifically to the UK, caused a significant controversy in India. During that visit, as a Member of Parliament, he faced accusations of disrespecting Indian democracy while speaking on foreign soil.
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