News Brief
Savarkar, Manusmriti, Adani: Rahul Gandhi Takes Aim At BJP In His Speech During Lok Sabha Constitution Debate
Rahul Gandhi
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday (14 December) attacked the BJP-led government during a debate in the Lok Sabha marking 75 years since the adoption of the Constitution.
In his address, Gandhi referred to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's remark that there "is nothing Indian about our Constitution" to attack the BJP in Parliament.
Gandhi said Savarkar believed that the Constitution should be superseded by the Manusmriti.
"VD Savarkar, says he clearly stated in his writings that there is nothing Indian about our Constitution... When you (BJP) speak of protecting the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, you are abusing Savarkar, you are defaming Savarkar," Rahul Gandhi said amid sloganeering from the treasury benches.
Raising the Gautam Adani issue, Gandhi accused the government of giving the businessman undue advantage that, in turn, was harming other small businesses in the country.
"Today, you lobbed tear gas shells on farmers outside Delhi, you unleashed lathi charge on them. Farmers are demanding MSP, a suitable price. But you facilitate profits to Adani, Ambani and cut off the thumb of farmers," he said.
He also reiterated his caste census promise, saying a "new kind of development" would take place in India if it was carried out.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of selective appropriation of constitutional values while ignoring its own historical contradictions.
Rijiju opened today's session with a rebuttal, criticising the Congress for its treatment of B R Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution.
Rijiju further alleged that the Congress marginalised Dr Ambedkar and delayed recognising his contributions.
The Union Minister, citing a document, talked about Dr Ambedkar's critique of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, alleging that Nehru's focus was primarily on appeasement politics rather than addressing the concerns of Scheduled Castes.
While Gandhi attacked Savarkar today, his sister and Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, delivering her maiden speech in the Lok Sabha yesterday (13 December), hit out at the RSS by accusing the BJP of confusing between 'Bharat ka Samvidhan' and 'Sangh ka Vidhan'.
