New Delhi: Former Union Minister and Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, responded sharply today to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s accusations against the BJP during a discussion in Parliament on the Constitution. Shri Thakur questioned, “Why does Rahul Gandhi, who frequently waves the red book of the Constitution, never talk about the black deeds of the Gandhi family hidden within its pages?”
Shri Thakur stated, “Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party put up a façade of being Constitution enthusiasts, but carrying a copy of the Constitution and swearing false oaths on it won’t change the truth. The same red book that Rahul Gandhi flaunts everywhere contains a detailed account of the Gandhi family’s transgressions against the Constitution. If anyone has disrespected the Constitution, it is the Congress party and the Gandhi family. In 1975, by imposing Emergency and jailing the opposition, they essentially overhauled the Constitution itself. The preamble of the Constitution, described as its soul, was stripped of its essence by them. Has Rahul Gandhi even read the preamble, which outlines how Baba Saheb’s Constitution countered the injustices of Indira Gandhi? Rahul ji should first read the preamble and explain its significance to the nation. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan has documented in his book on the Constitution how the Congress government engaged in unconstitutional acts. Rahul Gandhi, who talks of cutting Eklavya’s thumb, conveniently forgets the massacres of Sikhs under their watch.”
Continuing his remarks, Shri Thakur added, “The Constitution that Rahul Gandhi waves around has accounts by eminent jurists like K.K. Venugopal, who documented how the Congress government threatened and intimidated the judiciary, even warning them of consequences. When the Allahabad High Court invalidated Indira Gandhi’s election, she imposed Emergency on the country and weakened the judiciary. As senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan has stated in the same book, ‘Had this document not been robust, Indira Gandhi wouldn’t have been forced to end the Emergency and put an end to one of the darkest chapters in independent India’s history. The Right to Information Act, empowering the poorest of the poor, would not have come into being.’ Rahul Gandhi appears to be unaware of the document he so fervently waves around. It seems the Gandhi family hasn’t even reached the introductory pages of this book, which explains how preserving the Constitution requires more than just holding it; it demands understanding and respecting its principles.”
Shri Thakur further said, “Rahul Gandhi may wave the Constitution, but he often forgets that this is the same document that his family repeatedly tore apart for their personal gains. The Congress party disgracefully sidelined Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, from political power. If Rahul Gandhi had read even a fraction of the Constitution, he might reconsider his habit of casually flaunting it.”
Quoting specific passages from the Constitution’s preamble, Shri Thakur highlighted: “The preamble reflects the historic tensions between India’s legislative and judicial branches. It states, ‘From the early years, the legislative and executive branches of the state have confronted the judiciary with accusations of overstepping their constitutionally assigned powers.’ During Emergency, the then Law Minister issued a stern warning to Supreme Court judges on 28 October 1976, stating, ‘A confrontational environment is being created by those who ought to ensure they do not encroach upon powers not vested in them. We must ensure such a situation does not recur. What we are doing is not protecting people from judges but enabling judges to protect themselves.’ The Emergency was like a tsunami for the nation, reminding us how the Constitution can be overturned. Watching Rahul Gandhi wave a copy of the Constitution published by Eastern Book Company is laughable, as he doesn’t seem to have read its preamble. If he had, he would have realized how systematically the Gandhi family attacked the very Constitution they now claim to uphold. Rahul Gandhi should read it, reflect on it, and abandon his brazen hypocrisy.”