Modi blames Cong for stifling Constitution across 7 decades

The Congress never respected the Constitution and five generations of leaders tried to insult and undermine the sacred document for political gain and appeasement politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, lashing out at the biggest Opposition party for what he called the indelible sin of imposing the Emergency and damaging constitutional freedoms.

- Dhrubo Jyoti

Closing the two-day special debate in the Lok Sabha marking 75 years of the Constitution, Modi also drew a contrast between constitutional amendments brought by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, claimed the opposition party was historically against reservations, hailed the achievements of his government, stressed his welfare outreach was guided by the Constitution, and read out 11 pledges to make India a developed nation by 2047, the centenary of Independence.

In an expansive speech in Hindi clocking 110 minutes, the PM repeatedly singled out the Congress and the Gandhi family, criticising it for the biggest "jumla", or false promise, of "Garibi Hatao" (eradicate poverty) - a poll slogan that contributed to Indira Gandhi's landslide victory in the 1971 elections. He also said that his government was always working to strengthen the unity and integrity of the nation - a key concern driving the drafters of the Constitution.

"One family of the Congress left no stone unturned in wounding the Constitution. They ruled for 55 of the 75 years of our journey, so the country has the right to know what happened. The tradition of this family's ill thoughts, perverted politics and practices was continuous. The family repeatedly challenged the Constitution at all levels," Modi said.

"Destroying the spirit of the Constitution is in the Congress's veins. For us, the purity and sanctity of the Constitution is everything," he added.

He repeatedly mentioned the Emergency, which coincided with the 25th anniversary of the Constitution, to hit out at the Congress. "The country was made into a prison and the common citizen's rights were looted. The sin of the Congress can never be erased. Democracy was throttled," he said.

"The Congress repeatedly insulted, undermined and cheated the Constitution," he added.

The PM was replying to the two-day debate on the Constitution that proceeded smoothly, save brief disruptions.