Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a direct assault on the Congress party, accusing it of repeatedly undermining India’s Constitution during his speech in the Lok Sabha on Satrurday.
Responding to the two-day debate marking the 75th anniversary of the Constitution’s adoption, Modi said the Congress had made it a "habit to attack the fundamental document of the nation, dating back to the time of Jawaharlal Nehru and continuing through subsequent generations".
Modi began his address by celebrating India’s “extraordinary” journey since the Constitution was adopted in 1949, emphasising the country’s democratic roots and unity in diversity.
He paid tribute to the Constitution’s architects, including B.R. Ambedkar, and highlighted the document’s historic provision granting voting rights to women — a step that, he pointed out, other countries took decades to achieve.
However, Modi was quick to criticise the Congress for undermining the spirit of the Constitution.
“While the makers of the Constitution had unity in their hearts and minds, some people attacked it,” he said, adding that the Congress had sown seeds of division and discord in the country’s diversity.
He blamed the Nehru-Gandhi family for initiating constitutional amendments that altered the original framework of the Constitution, starting with Jawaharlal Nehru’s amendments in 1951.
A key focus of Modi’s attack was the imposition of the Emergency in 1975 under Indira Gandhi’s government. He described this as a direct assault on the Constitution, accusing the Congress of suspending constitutional provisions, curtailing citizens’ rights, and turning India into a “prison.”
“The Congress can’t wipe off this sin,” he declared, reiterating that the shadow of the Emergency would forever stain the party’s legacy.
Modi also addressed the controversial amendments made by Rajiv Gandhi, accusing him of disrespecting the Constitution by overturning the Shah Bano verdict, which upheld the rights of Muslim women to maintenance after divorce.
He warned that the current generation of the Gandhi family was continuing this legacy of constitutional disrespect, “tasting blood” and perpetuating the same policies.
“The next generation is doing the same thing... The current generation of the Gandhi family is taking forward the legacy of attacking the Constitution after tasting blood long ago,” Modi remarked.
The Prime Minister also referred to Sonia Gandhi’s role in the Congress-led UPA government, accusing her of placing an unelected individual above the Prime Minister by elevating the National Advisory Council.
Additionally, he took aim at Rahul Gandhi, recalling his infamous act of tearing up an ordinance passed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“I am just telling you what happened to the Constitution,” Modi said pointedly.
Turning to his own government’s achievements, Modi praised his administration’s commitment to inclusive policies. He stressed that his policies were designed to uplift the poor and neglected segments of society, pledging that “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Together with all, Development for all) was not just a slogan, but a guiding principle of governance.
In his concluding remarks, Modi outlined 11 proposals for the House, including ensuring that reservation benefits are not taken away and preventing any attempts to provide reservation on the basis of religion.
He emphasised that India must continue to develop as a unified nation, free from nepotism, and committed to fulfilling the duties of every citizen and the government.
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