New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a fiery speech in the Lok Sabha, launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing its leaders of consistently undermining the Constitution and misusing power. Addressing the debate on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of Constitution, PM Modi highlighted various instances in which the Congress, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, allegedly altered the Constitution for political gain.
Beginning his speech, Modi described India’s journey since the adoption of the Constitution in 1948 as “extraordinary”, stressing the country’s deep-rooted democracy and its global impact. He praised the makers of the Constitution, including BR Ambedkar, for their foresight in ensuring unity in India’s diversity. However, the PM lamented that certain elements within Congress did not celebrate this unity but instead sought to sow division.
‘Emergency a taint on Congress’
“While the makers of the Constitution understood the importance of unity in diversity, some people chose not to celebrate it and began sowing seeds of poison,” Modi said. He went on to accuse those “who grew up in a mindset of slavery” of attempting to hurt India’s unity, referencing the ongoing efforts to undermine the nation’s cohesion through divisive policies.
Modi’s criticism turned sharp as he referred to the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975, which he described as a “taint” on Congress that “will never be washed away”. The Prime Minister reminded the nation that during the 25th anniversary of India’s Constitution, the country saw its rights stripped away, with press freedom curtailed, and civil liberties suspended.
“When India was celebrating 25 years of its Constitution, it was torn apart by the Congress,” Modi said. “The country was turned into a prison. The Congress can’t wipe off this sin. Whenever ‘democracy’ will be discussed in the world, this sin of the Congress will be remembered.”
PM accuses Nehru of sowing the seeds of constitutional amendments
Modi detailed how Congress, under Nehru and his successors, amended the Constitution over 75 times in six decades, which he argued diluted its essence and spirit. He accused Nehru of sowing the seeds of constitutional amendments when he reportedly suggested that the Constitution should be changed whenever it stood in the way of governance.
“In 1951, an ordinance was passed that attacked the fundamental rights of people. Congress amended the Constitution numerous times, even destroying its spirit,” Modi said. He further pointed out that Indira Gandhi amended the Constitution in 1975 to overturn a Supreme Court verdict, solidifying her hold on power.
Continuing his attack, Modi condemned former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for overturning the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Shah Bano case, which had granted maintenance rights to Muslim women after divorce. Modi said that this action demonstrated Congress’s disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law.
“The legacy of attacking the Constitution was started by Nehru, carried forward by Indira Gandhi, and continued by Rajiv Gandhi,” Modi asserted. “The next generation, including Rahul Gandhi, is now carrying this legacy forward.”
‘Garibi Hatao, a jumla used by Congress across generations’
The Prime Minister also took a jibe at the Congress’s long-standing “Garibi Hatao” (Remove Poverty) slogan, calling it a “jumla” used by the party across four generations. He said that while the slogan was central to Congress’s political campaigns, it never resulted in any meaningful improvement in the lives of the poor.
“Congress has been fond of one word – ‘jumla’. The biggest ‘jumla’ in the country’s history was ‘garibi hatao’, which was used by four generations of the Congress but failed to improve the condition of the poor,” Modi said, dismissing the slogan as a mere political tool.
PM Modi also took aim at Congress for bypassing Parliament when it came to significant constitutional changes, citing the imposition of Article 35-A, which granted special privileges to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that Congress had “strangled” Parliament by enacting such provisions without proper legislative oversight.
