• Source:JND

Parliament Constitution Debate LIVE Updates Day 2: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday addressed the Lok Sabha during the debate on the 75 years of the adoption of the Indian Constitution and termed it not only the longest but also the most remarkable and beautiful in the world. Rijiju in his address slammed the opposition and said that "while India has given equal voting rights to all, some claim that minorities have no rights in the country". He further cautioned that "our words and actions should not diminish the image of the country in the world fora".

Rijiju said successive governments worked for the welfare of minorities. "The Congress has also done that, I am not undermining its role. India not only provides legal protection to minorities, it also has a provision for affirmative action to protect their interests," the minister asserted. His address came a day after Lok Sabha witnessed the fiery speeches of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who gave her maiden speech in Parliament. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reply to the debate on the 75th anniversary of India's Constitution in the Lok Sabha today.

Catch All The Live Updates From Day 2 Here:

"Uniform Civil Code - this topic was not beyond the attention of the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly discussed UCC at length and after the debate, they decided that it would be good if whichever government gets elected takes a decision on it and implements UCC in the country… The Supreme Court has also said many times that UCC should be brought in the country… Keeping in mind the spirit of the Constitution and the makers of the Constitution, we are working with full force for a Secular Civil Code," he said.

"12 State Congress committees of Congress had agreed on the name of Sardar Patel. There was not a single committee with Nehru ji. As per Constitution, Sardar Sahib would have become the Prime Minister of the country. How can those who do not believe in the Constitution of their party accept the Constitution of the country?," he asked.

"Congress tasted blood of amending Constitution, it started hunting Constitution from time to time. It tasted the blood. It kept bloodying the spirit of Constitution. In almost 6 decades, Constitution was amended 75 times. The poison that was sowed by the first PM of the country was nurtured by another Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi," PM Modi said.

"Congress is very fond of one word. Their favorite word is - 'Jumla'. The country knows that if there was any biggest Jumla in India and it was used by 4 generations, that Jumla was - 'Garibi Hatao'. This was such a Jumla which helped them in their politics but did not improve the condition of the poor," PM Modi said.

"The then PM, Pandit Nehru had written a letter to Chief Ministers. In his letter, he wrote - "if the Constitution comes in the way…we must make a change in the Constitution at any cost." Nehru ji wrote this in a letter to CMs. In 1951, this sin was committed. But the country was not silent. The then President Dr Rajendra Prasad alerted him that it is wrong. The then Speaker also told him that what he is doing is wrong. Great Congress leaders like Acharya Kriplani, Jayprakash Narayan alerted Pandit Nehru. But Pandit Nehru had his own Constitution. That is why, he neglected the suggestions of such senior leaders," PM Modi said.

"This country didn't have an elected government from 1947 to 1952. A temporary system, a selected government was in place. Elections were not held. An interim govenment was in place until the elections. Before 1952, Rajya Sabha was also not formed. There were no elections in states as well. There was no mandate by the people...In 1951, when there wasn't an elected government, he amended the Constitution through an Ordinance. Right to Express was attacked...This was an insult to Constitution makers. As soon as he saw an opportunity, he dealt a blow to Right to Express. This was a grave insult of Constitution makers. What could not be facilitate in Constituent Assembly, he facillitated that through back door and that too when he was not the PM of an elected government. He committted a sin," PM Modi said.

"Highs and lows occurred, there were difficulties too, there were obstacles as well. But I bow before the people of country once again that they strongly stood with Constitution...I do not want to make personal criticism on anyone but it is important to place facts before the country. That is why, I would like to do that. One family of Congress left no stone unturned in hurling a blow to the Constitution. I am menbtioning that one family because in 75 years of our journey, they ruled for 55 years. So, country has the right to know what happened. The tradition of this family's ill-thoughts, bad policies is ongoing continuously. This family has challenged Constitution at all levels," the PM said.

"It is 75 years of Constitution. But 25 years also has an importance, so do 50 years and 60 years. When the country was witnessing 25 years of Constitution, at the same time Constitution in our country was razed. Emergency was imposed, democractic systems were finished, country was turned into a prison, citizens's rights were looted, press freedom was locked up. This sin on the forehead of Congress can never be erased. Whenever democracy will be discussed across the world, Congress' sin will never be erased because democracy was strangled," PM said.

"Several times, there was power in one part of the country but it was not supplied. So, there was pitch dark in the other part. During the previosu government, we saw India being defamed before the world through headlines. We have seen those days. That is why, with the mantra of unity and upholding the sense of Constitution, we fulfilled One Nation One Grid. That is why, today there is uninterrupted power supply in all corners of India," he said.

"India's democracy, its republican past has been very prosperous. This has been an inspiration and that is why today, India is known as Mother of Democracy. We are not just a large democracy but also the Mother of Democracy," PM Modi said.

"This achievement of 75 years is not ordinary, it is extraordinary. India's Constitution has brought us here by defeating the possibiltiies that were expressed for India at the time when the counrty attained independence. For this great achievement, besides the drafters of the Constitution, I would like to respectfullly bow before the crores of people of India - they lived this new system. Citizens of India deserve all the praise," PM Modi said.

Speaking during discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India, PM Narendra Modi says, "For all of us, for all citizens and for all democracy-loving citizens across the world, this is a moment of great pride..."

Prime Minister Narendra will be addressing the Lok Sabha shortly. His address will mark the end of the two-day session on the 75th anniversary of India's Constitution in the Lok Sabha.

"The ideology of INDIA Alliance brought the Constitution of the country, together we safeguard the Constitution. Ambedkar ji had said that if there is political equality but no social and economic equality, political equality will be destroyed...Today, it is before everyone. Political equality has ended. All of India's institutions have been captured. There is no more a social equality. There is no economic equality anymore. That is why, our next step would be Caste Census. We want to show the country that whose thumbs did you chop off. We want to show Dalits, Adivasis, Backwards, farmers, labourers whose thumbs have been chopped off. So, we will have a Caste Census and there will be a new kind of development in India," said Rahul Gandhi.

"We will breach the wall of 50% reservation and we will have a Caste Census. You can say whatever you want," Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said.

"When you implemented Agniveer, you cut off the thumb of the youth. When you have paper leaks - you had 70 paper leaks, you cut off the thumb of the youth of India. Today, you lobbed tear gas shells on farmers outside Delhi, you unleashed lathi charge on the farmers. Farmers demand MSP from you. They demand a suitable price. But you facilitate profits to Adani, Ambani and cut off the thumb of farmers. We sav Abhayamudra, we say "daro matt". You say, "Hum aapka angootha kaat denge." This is the difference," said Rahul Gandhi.

"I described, in my first speech, the idea of a battle taking place, I described the Mahabharat, described Kurukshetra. There is a battle taking place today in India. On this side (Opposition side) are the defenders of the idea of the Constitution. From each state we have one, if you ask us Tamil Nadu - we will tell you Periyar, if you ask us Karnataka - we will say Basavaṇṇa, if you ask us Maharashtra - we will say Phule ji, Ambedkar ji, if you ask us Gujarat - we will say Mahatma Gandhi. You praise these people hesitatingly because you have to. But the truth is that you want India to be run the way it used to be run earlier," Rahul Gandhi said.

During the discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said, "I want to ask you (ruling side), do you stand by your leader's words? Do you support your leader's words? Because when you speak in Parliament about protecting the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, you are abusing Savarkar, you are defaming Savarkar."

- During a discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi said, "I want to start my speech by quoting what the Supreme Leader, not of the BJP but of the modern interpretation of the ideas of the RSS has to say about the Constitution of India and about how he thinks India should be run - "The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is that scripture which is most worshippable after 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. Today, Manusmiriti is law." These are the words of Savarkar...Savarkar has clearly stated in his writings that there is nothing Indian about our Constitution. He has clearly stated that the book India is run by should be superseded by this book. This is what the fight is about."

- "The former Defence Minister said in the Rajya Sabha that I am the Defence Minister of the country and I have no hesitation in saying that our Congress government had set a policy that roads should not be built in border areas. If roads are built, China will come through the same route and occupy our land," Rijiju said.

- "A narrative is being created. According to the survey of the Center for Policy Analysis in European Union, 48% people in European Union have been victims of discrimination. Most of them are Muslims, believers of Islam. In France, many discrimination reports were presented. In that, people from the majority Muslim community have objected to those who wear head scarves, burqas and said that this discrimination is being done against them. In Spain, the report of internal hate crimes against Muslims is so high, this has also been mentioned in the report," Rijiju said.

- "You know the condition of Pakistan, what happens in Bangladesh, you people know what has happened to Sikhs, Hindus, Christians in Afghanistan, whether it is a problem in Tibet or Myanmar, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, Pakistan or Afghanistan, if there is oppression against the minority or some problem arises, the first country where they come to seek protection is India. Then why is it said that there is no protection for minorities in this country. I am saying that such things should not be said which harm the image of the country, I am not saying this for any one party. I am saying this for the country," he said.

- Speaking in Lok Sabha during the discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "I feel proud that when Prime Minister Modi's tenure started, following the Constitution, the same spirit, he placed the mantra of his government in front of this country. And that mantra is Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas."