She described the Constitution as a ‘suraksha kavach’ (protective shield) of justice, unity and freedom of expression and one the the BJP-led government has made every effort to break in the past 10 years.
In her 32-minute speech in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi was combative yet restrained, never raising her voice, as she raised the opposition’s key planks. These included the BJP’s alleged attempts to change the Constitution, “growing monopoly” of the Adani Group, atrocities on women, incidents of violence in Sambhal and Manipur, and the demand for a nationwide caste census.
The Congress leader even took on Union minister Rajnath Singh, saying those in the ruling party mostly talk about the past but should tell the country what they are doing now.
“What is your responsibility? Or does all the responsibility lie with Jawaharlal Nehru ji?” she asked in a swipe at the BJP over its repeated criticism of India’s first prime minister.
“Our Constitution laid the foundation of economic justice, distributing land to farmers, the poor and the needy…. Whose name is often used by them (BJP) to save themselves, he (Jawaharlal Nehru) created many PSUs and institutions such as HAL, BHEL, SAIL, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, Railways, IIT, IIM,” she said. “His name can be erased from the books, but his role in the Independence struggle and nation building can never be erased from this country,” the Congress general secretary said about her great grandfather. Addressing criticism on the Emergency, she said the BJP should learn from it and apologise for its mistakes.
“My colleague in the ruling party recounted the past, this happened, that happened… what happened in 1975. You also learn from it, you also apologise for your mistakes,” she said.
“You talk of political justice, you cause governments to fall on the strength of money… I will give another example, that of Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh. Was the Constitution not applicable to these states,” she said.
Priyanka Gandhi also challenged the BJP to hold elections by using the ballot paper, saying it will expose the reality.
In a stinging critique of the prime minister, the Congress leader said, “There used to be a story that the king used to go among the people in disguise to listen to criticism. Today’s king is also very fond of changing his disguise… But he neither has the courage to go among the public nor to listen to criticism.”
Slamming the BJP over its alleged divisive politics, she said seeds of suspicion and hatred are being sown where the Constitution gave a protective shield of unity,
“The ‘suraksha kavach’ of unity is being broken. The prime minister touches his forehead to the Constitution but when there are cries for justice from Sambhal, Hathras and Manipur, there is not a wrinkle on his forehead,” the Wayanad MP said.
“It seems Prime Minister Modi hasn’t understood that ‘Bharat ka Samvidhan’ is not ‘Sangh ka Vidhan’,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
The government, she alleged, is working to weaken the reservation policy through lateral entry and privatisation.
“Had the Lok Sabha election results not come as they have, the government would have started work on changing the Constitution,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. The BJP won 240 seats on its own against the halfway mark of 272. The Congress won 99 seats, almost doubling his tally since 2019.
“The truth is that they are chanting ‘Constitution, Constitution’ because they realise the people of this country will keep the Constitution alive and protect it,” she said.
According to her, people were demanding a caste-based census and even the ruling party was talking about it because of the election results.
“See the proof of Narendra Modi’s seriousness for a caste census. When the entire opposition was talking about caste census in the elections… Narendra Modi was saying they will steal your buffalo and mangalsutra,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
In an apparent reference to billionaire Gautam Adani, she said the country is seeing how the people of the country are being ignored to save one person.
“All the business, all the resources, all the wealth, all the opportunities are being handed over to one person. The country’s ports, airports, roads, railways and government companies are being given to just one person.There was always faith in the minds of the people that if we have nothing then the Constitution will protect us. But today, this perception is being formed among the common people that the government is working only for the profits of Adani,” she said.
Inequality, the Congress MP added, is increasing rapidly in the country with the poor becoming poorer and the rich richer.
“This government has also broken the shield of economic justice protection,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
She alleged that an atmosphere of fear was prevailing in the country as was the case during British rule.
“While the people with Gandhiji’s ideology sitting on this side were fighting for independence, the people with the ideology on that side were colluding with the British. But fear also has its own nature. Those who spread fear themselves become victims of fear. This is the law of nature,” she said.
“Today, those who spread fear have themselves started living in fear. They are afraid of discussion, they are scared of criticism,” she said.
Priyanka Gandhi said people in power talk about 75 years and pointed out that during those years, the people of the country openly criticised, fearlessly staged protests and demanded answers from the leaders.
“Today people are intimidated from speaking the truth. Be it a journalist or an opposition leader or a university professor everyone’s mouth is shut. Opposition leaders are investigated by ED, CBI, IT and are sent to jail by making false allegations,” she said.
“This government has spared no one. Their media machine spreads lies and makes accusations,” she said.
Priyanka Gandhi also said the country has never stayed in the “hands of cowards for long”. The country will rise, fight and demand justice, she concluded.
