Mayawati criticises Samajwadi Party amidst Sengol controversy

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has criticised the Samajwadi Party (SP) amidst the ongoing controversy over the Sengol in Parliament, urging the party to focus on marginalised communities instead of demanding the Sengol’s removal.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Mayawati suggested that the SP should prioritise holding the central government accountable for issues affecting the weaker and neglected sections of society, as well as matters of general public interest.

She accused the SP of remaining silent on such issues and making decisions that harm the weaker sections once in power while ignoring their leaders’ legacies.

The controversy began when SP MP RK Chaudhary, representing the Mohanlalganj Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, wrote a letter to the Speaker and Pro-tem Speaker demanding the removal of the Sengol.

Chaudhary argued that a large copy of the Indian Constitution should replace the Sengol, describing it as a symbol of kings and emperors inappropriate for Parliament.

This demand has sparked intense political debate, with SP national president Akhilesh Yadav defending Chaudhary. Yadav suggested that Chaudhary’s letter was likely intended to remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the ceremonial respect owed to the Sengol, which Modi had saluted during its first installation but apparently neglected to do while taking his oath this time.