Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of attempting to “hijack” the Constitution for political gain and asserting that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would never allow the fundamental character of the Constitution to be altered. Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of India’s Constitution, Singh detailed the BJP’s staunch opposition to constitutional misuse and amendments driven by vested interests.
“No matter how hard Congress tries, we will never allow the basic character of the Constitution to be changed,” Singh declared. Highlighting historical instances, he added, “You see the history. We had strongly opposed every attempt to hurt the basic character of the Constitution even during the dark days of the Emergency.”
Congress’ Past Misuse of the Constitution
Singh accused Congress of a long history of manipulating the Constitution for its own agenda. He pointed to the Emergency period (1975-1977) as the most egregious example of constitutional misuse, saying, “The Congress party does not have the moral authority to lecture us on the Constitution. It’s the same party that silenced critics by amending the Constitution to serve their interests.”
Detailing amendments carried out by Congress governments, Singh revealed that Jawaharlal Nehru implemented 17 constitutional amendments, Indira Gandhi 28, Rajiv Gandhi 10, and Manmohan Singh seven. “These were not for the welfare of the public but to perpetuate power and suppress dissent,” he charged.
The minister cited specific instances, including the 1951 amendment that curtailed freedom of speech. “When the Congress government’s wrong policies were criticised in the press, they responded by banning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s weekly publication ‘Organiser’ and the magazine ‘Crossroads’ published from Madras. The Supreme Court later quashed the censorship order, deeming it unconstitutional. Instead of respecting the court’s judgment, Congress amended the Constitution to suppress free speech,” Singh said.
Caste Census and Political Opportunism
The defence minister also criticised the Opposition’s recent push for a caste census, accusing the Congress of using it as a political tool. “The same party that misused the Constitution in the past is now talking about conducting a caste-based census. While we have no objection to a discussion on the matter, we want transparency,” he said.
Singh challenged the Opposition to present a clear blueprint outlining the allocation of reservations for different castes and their percentages. “We don’t want to cheat the public; we want to look them straight in the eye,” he asserted.
BJP’s Commitment to Constitutional Values
Contrasting the BJP’s approach with that of Congress, Singh said, “BJP treats the Constitution with the utmost respect. ‘Samvidhan’ (Constitution) is our guiding light, and we follow its principles in our minds, words, and deeds. Unlike Congress, we have never treated the Constitution as a means to serve political interests.”
He also dismissed allegations from the Opposition that the BJP was attempting to alter the Constitution, calling these claims baseless. “The values enshrined in the Constitution and the autonomy of institutions have always been safeguarded by the BJP,” Singh stated.
Contributions Beyond One Party
Singh criticised efforts to credit the Constitution solely to Congress, arguing that the contributions of other leaders had been ignored. “In recent years, there have been attempts to project the Constitution as a contribution of a particular party. Leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, Veer Savarkar, and Bhagat Singh also played significant roles in shaping the principles that strengthened our Constitution,” he said.
A Veiled Attack on Rahul Gandhi
The defence minister’s speech also included a veiled criticism of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has often accused the BJP of undermining democratic values. Singh highlighted how former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as leader of the Opposition, had represented India at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 1994 and returned to criticise the government. “Unlike some leaders today, Vajpayee never disparaged India on foreign soil,” Singh remarked.
Singh’s fiery address in Parliament sought to reaffirm the BJP’s commitment to preserving the Constitution while accusing Congress of a legacy of misuse. As the nation marks 75 years of adopting the Constitution, the minister’s speech served as a sharp critique of past missteps and a call for upholding constitutional values in their purest form.
