Dissent being subjugated, criminalised: Kharge on Constitution Day
New Delhi, Nov 26: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said the Constitution of India is the lifeline of democracy and today it faces numerous challenges since the present regime was using every trick in its textbook to crush and curtail all freedoms enshrined.
Kharge in a post on X, said, "The Constitution of India is the lifeline of our Democracy. As we observe and celebrate the 74th Constitution Day, we bow in utmost reverence to its makers - for they guaranteed the social, economic and political rights of every Indian."
He said, "Today, the spirit of our Constitution, faces numerous challenges. The present regime is using every trick in its textbook to crush and curtail all freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
"Dissent is being subjugated and criminalised, institutions are being pushed to the brink of becoming pawns in the grand game of imposing an authoritarian system, hate is being served under the garb of social changes," he said.
Attacking the BJP and RSS, the Congress leader said, "The systematic and strident attack on the Constitution by BJP-RSS is visible in the rampant misuse of every nut and bolt of the government machinery. As a nation state, we could soon reach a tipping point where social justice and harmony shall become a casualty and the rights of the weaker sections would be gradually seized."
Kharge said it is time to stand up against this politics of division and hate and the Indian National Congress is fighting this battle from the front.
"Rahul Gandhi led the Bharat Jodo Yatra to spread the message of peace, unity in diversity, amity and compassion. The Yatra continues with him reaching out to more people, more states and more sections of the society. Every citizen should question the attack on our Constitution, its ethos and its values. Just like our freedom fighters fought the British, we are capable of fighting, without fear, and protecting our Democracy," he said.
He also said that today is the day to take inspiration from those inspiring leaders.
"Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Babasaheb Dr. B R Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr Rajendra Prasad, K M Munshi, Sarojini Naidu, Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and several eminent personalities should be remembered not only on this day, but everyday. For we are indebted to their vision and wisdom. We, the People of India shall prevail," Kharge added.
Congress general secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh said, "Today 74 years ago, the Constitution of India that is Bharat, was formally adopted by the Constituent Assembly. The Prime Minister and his drumbeaters will of course proclaim their allegiance to it. This is sheer hypocrisy on three counts."
He said, first, the RSS had nothing whatsoever to do with the making of the Constitution and had actually opposed it and second, the Prime Minister has already got some of his cheerleaders to advocate a total rewrite of the Constitution.
He also said that third, the Prime Minister has eroded the independence and professional autonomy of all Constitutional bodies and has encouraged Constitutional authorities to become blatantly partisan.
"Many books have been written on how our Constitution came into being. Those by Granville Austin and B. Shiva Rao remain the authoritative works. Arvind Elangovan's intellectual biography of Benegal Narsing Rau, one of the forgotten heroes of the Constitution making process, is a major new contribution," the Congress Rajya Sabha member said.
Every year November 26 is celebrated as the Constitution Day, to mark the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly of the country formally adopted the Constitution on this day in 1949, which came into force on January 26, 1950.