BJP, Cong lock horns in Rajya Sabha over federalism & constitutional amendments

BJP says Cong amended Constitution to strengthen 'family'; Opposition alleges Emergency-like conditions

NEW DELHI: In a fierce exchange of accusations on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress accused each other of undermining constitutional values. The heated debate, which took place during the discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India' in the Rajya Sabha, saw the ruling party claim that the Congress had made constitutional amendments to "brazenly" benefit a political family. Meanwhile, the Opposition demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly "twisting facts" about India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Leading the charge for the BJP, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Congress of repeatedly amending the Constitution to strengthen the "dynasty" rather than addressing the country's broader needs. Speaking for nearly 80 minutes, Sitharaman highlighted various constitutional amendments made under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, alleging that these were aimed at bolstering the power of the Nehru-Gandhi family.