Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address the Lok Sabha today, marking the conclusion of the two-day debate on the ‘Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India’.
The debate, which began with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s opening address, saw intense exchanges between members of the ruling NDA and the Opposition. The first day of discussions was characterised by sharp verbal duels, with Singh accusing the Congress of prioritising power over constitutional values.
Initiating the debate, the Defence Minister charged that the Congress never respected the autonomy of institutions and frequently amended the Constitution with “malicious intent”. Rajnath Singh accused the Congress of always trying to “hijack and appropriate” the framing of the Constitution.
He highlighted instances such as the imposition of Emergency, dismissal of state governments, and the supersession of Supreme Court judges as examples of Congress’s alleged disregard for constitutional principles.
Singh also criticised the Congress for projecting the Constitution as solely its contribution while ignoring the efforts of other leaders.
In a veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh said Congress leaders roam around with a copy of the Constitution in their pockets. “This is what they have learnt from childhood, they have seen their families keep the Constitution in their pockets for generations,” he said.
He cited the repeal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as a historic step in ensuring the Constitution’s applicability across India, a statement met with desk-thumping from NDA members.
Singh also emphasised the cultural and civilisational roots reflected in the original Constitution, which carries illustrations of Indian deities and traditions.
The Opposition, however, hit back with equal fervour. Making her maiden Lok Sabha speech, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the BJP of undermining the Constitution and protecting crony capitalism.
Referring to the Constitution as “Bharat ka Samvidhan” and not “Sangh ka Vidhan,” she alleged that the BJP would’ve changed the Constitution had they not received a bashing in the Lok Sabha elections.
She also raised issues such as the bribery claims against the Adani Group, atrocities against women, violence in Manipur, and the demand for a caste census. “The BJP chants ‘Constitution, Constitution’ because they know the people of this country will keep it alive and protect it,” she said, taking a swipe at the ruling party.
Responding to the BJP’s criticism of Emergency, Priyanka said, “The BJP should learn from it and apologise for its mistakes.” She also accused the BJP of toppling opposition-led governments using money power and cited examples from Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.
Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the government was reducing minorities, particularly Muslims, to “second-grade citizens” by eroding their rights and properties.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, in her first address after being previously expelled from the Lower House, accused the PM Modi-led government of “bleeding the Constitution from a thousand cuts” and systematically eroding democracy over the past decade.
In defence of the government, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh countered that the Congress had misused Article 356 to topple state governments and questioned its newfound commitment to constitutional values.