New Delhi: The timing of the installation of a bust of C Rajagopalachari, replacing Edward Lutyens, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan has taken on significance as the southern state goes to polls in the coming months and the BJP has been struggling to make significant inroads. Invitees to Monday’s event also included “guests from Tamil Nadu”.Replacing the bust of Lutyens with Rajaji served a dual purpose – at the national level it reinforced the government’s anti-colonial narrative, while in Tamil Nadu it marked a tribute to the Tamil politician by placing his bust at the head of state’s official residence.Speaking at the event, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that Rajaji was the symbol of Indian civilization and the sacred ‘sengol’ placed in the Parliament was the realization of his vision. Rajaji played a key role in procuring the ‘sengol’ mace, which symbolized the transfer of power from the British to the Indians in 1947. Drawing on the Chola tradition, he suggested the use of a golden scepter created by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty to represent righteous rule and the transfer of power to Jawaharlal Nehru.The sengol was placed in the Lok Sabha when the new Parliament was inaugurated in 2023, which was seen as an extension of Tamil identity. The government also organized the Kashi Tamil Sangaman in Varanasi to connect the temple town of Uttar Pradesh with Tamil scholars and people to highlight cultural ties.
