Former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram (Image/PTI File)
The former home minister said, “Honourable PM has not said a single word so far. Nor has he appealed for peace and harmony. Just to remind him, he is holding a metaphorical sengol in his hand.”
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the recent violence in Manipur, saying the PM “did not utter a word” on the matter and just to remind him, he raised his hand ” Rupak Sengol” is caught.
Clashes broke out in Manipur after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the majority Meitei community.
The violence was preceded by tension over the eviction of Kuki villagers from reserved forest land, which led to several smaller agitations. Chidambaram said in a tweet that it has been more than three weeks since violence broke out in Manipur and at least 75 people have been killed.
“Honourable PM has not uttered even a single word till now. Nor has he appealed for peace and harmony. Just to remind him, he holds Rupak Sengol in his hand,” the former home minister said.
His remarks came amid a war of words between the Congress and the BJP over Sengol’s history, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it was a symbol of the transfer of power from the British in 1947 and should have been accorded due respect after independence. But was displayed as a “walking stick” at Anand Bhawan in Prayagraj.
The Congress has claimed that there was no documentary evidence of Lord Mountbatten, C Rajagopalachari and Jawaharlal Nehru describing Sengol as a symbol of the transfer of power from the British to India.
In another tweet, Chidambaram said, “Thiruvalluvar placed ‘righteous rule’ (portrayed by Sengol) as one of the four qualities of a ruler / the other three being: welfare, compassion and protecting the weak (poor). In Kural: 546 the poet also warns that the ruler will be victorious only if ‘Sengol’ does not bow down.”
“This is ancient wisdom for India in 2023,” he said.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,