New Delhi: The provisions in the Constitution have enabling provisions for the growth and development of all sections of society, but the BJP-led government follows the disturbing trends of the Manusmriti to undermine these provisions, accused Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the debate on the 75 years of the adoption of the Indian Constitution on Saturday.
In his 26-minute speech, Gandhi tore into the BJP by accusing the ruling party of violating the idea of the Constitution in each and every form.
The LoP said that V.D. Savarkar, who is an ideologue of the BJP, had said there is nothing Indian about the Constitution and that he preferred the text of the Manusmriti over it. Taking a jibe at the BJP, Mr Gandhi said that by talking of protecting the Constitution, the BJP is "ridiculing" V.D. Savarkar.
"The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. The Manusmriti is that scripture which is most worshipped after the Vedas for our Hindu nation and from which our ancient times have become the basis for our culture, customs, thought and practice. This book, for centuries, has codified the spiritual and divine march of our nation... These are the words of V.D. Savarkar...”
“V.D. Savarkar has clearly stated in his writings that there is nothing Indian about our Constitution. He has clearly stated that the n Turn to Page 4
book India is run by should be superseded by this book. This is what the fight is about," Mr Gandhi said.
Gandhi asserted that the Congress and the INDIA bloc are the protectors of the Constitution, unlike the BJP and the RSS, which support the Manusmriti. “The country will function on the basis of the Constitution, not on Manusmriti,” he said.
"V.D. Savarkar had called Manusmriti a scripture "most worshipable" for Hindus after the Vedas. It is good that you say you are defending the Constitution, but I want to ask, do you stand by your leader's words? Because when you speak about protecting the Constitution, you are abusing and ridiculing V.D. Savarkar," said Mr Gandhi.
Gandhi began his speech with the story of Eklavya, the young prince of Nishads, who had to sacrifice his thumb at the demand of Guru Dronacharya, rendering him incapable of performing archery. Dronacharya was the teacher of the Pandavas, and he had to incapacitate Eklavya to eliminate competition and threat to Arjun, who too was a great warrior and skilled archer like Eklavya.
Linking the story with the modern-day situation Mr Gandhi said a battle is taking place in India and accused the government of behaving like Dronacharya and putting the underprivileged under duress and benefiting the capitalists.
“When you give Dharavi to Adani, you chop off the thumb of the small and medium businesses there...You have fired teargas shells on farmers outside Delhi. who are asking for fair prices... You are cutting the thumb of that farmer," he said.
Gandhi also mentioned the grievances of the family of the Hathras gang-rape victim, saying the deceased girl is yet to get justice and her family is being threatened and tormented by the accused, who are out on bail.
“The Hathras family told me that the state administration did not allow the victim to be cremated by them. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister has been speaking a lie openly in the media. Where is it written in the Constitution that the accused can roam freely and the victim’s family should be shut indoors? This must be written in your book the Manusmriti, not in the Constitution. If you say there is your government in Uttar Pradesh, then the state functions on the basis of the Manusmriti and not the Constitution,” he said.
The Congress leader also talked about the caste census and supported removing the 50 per cent cap on reservations. “We will end the barrier of the 50 per cent cap on reservations; you say whatever you have to,” he said.
Quoting B.R. Ambedkar, the LoP said, “If there is political equality but no social and economic equality, then the political equality will be destroyed, B.R. Ambedkar said. Today, political equality has ended. All institutions of the country have been captured. There is no social and financial economic equality. That’s why our next step will be to hold a caste census to show people -- Dalits, adivasis, farmers, labourers and backwards -- where all you have cut their thumbs. As promised, we will bring a new kind of politics and development to India,” said Mr Gandhi.
Later, chaos prevailed in the House briefly as the LoP was not allowed to respond to Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde’s remarks on Indira Gandhi's views on V.D. Savarkar.
Congress MP K.C. Venugopal accused the Speaker of being partial. "It seems that this House belongs to the BJP only," he said. The Speaker later allowed Mr Gandhi to respond.
