Highlighting the contribution of the Congress in the drafting of the Constitution and in the freedom struggle, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday lashed out at the Government for laying claim to it while alleging that ideals and principles of the Constitution were under threat and being attacked deliberately in recent months.
“People, who never had faith in the Constitution nor had they participated in its drafting, are now swearing by it and are laying claim to it,” Sonia said while speaking in the discussion in the lok Sabha on the commitment to the Constitution as part of the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of BR Ambedkar.
Speaking after Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the Congress president said incidents of recent months have totally gone against the ideals of the Constitution which was the contribution and result of her party’s discipline and commitment.
“They are now having a discussion on commitment to it. There cannot be a bigger joke than this,” she said speaking in Hindi and challenging the treasury benches to correct her if she was wrong.
Insisting that whatever being witnessed over the past few months was “totally against the principles” of the Constitution, Sonia recalled Ambedkar’s warning to hit out at the ruling dispensation, as she sought to elucidate the contribution of the Congress in the drafting of the Constitution and in the freedom struggle.
She said Ambedkar had observed that howsoever good a Constitution may be, if those implementing it were bad people, then the ultimate effect would only be bad.
Rajnath while initiating the discussion had also quoted Ambedkar saying that though the Constitution was robust, the need was to have people of character, integrity and ability to implement it.
Sonia also utilised Ambedkar’s praise of the Congress for its contribution in Constitution drafting, indicating that the Congress could lay the rightful claim on the document.
She said it was the Congress which had decided to appoint Ambedkar as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee and the latter was himself surprised with his selection. “Congress ke discipline ka kamal hain,” Congress leader said with a big smile.
Sonia said four personalities -- Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad -- guided the process of making Constitution.
Before the discussion started and speaker paid tributes to 26/11 `Shahids`, Parliament witnessed bonhomie among members of treasury and Opposition benches at the start of Winter Session, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi walking up to meet Opposition leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge, Mulayam Singh Yadav, besides others in the lok Sabha.
Sonia and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi were not present in the House at the time when Modi went around.