Vikrant Shekhawat : Dec 18, 2024, 09:10 AM
Amit Shah In Rajya Sabha: There was a wide discussion on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Leaders of various political parties expressed their views, in which Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while speaking, made sharp attacks on the opposition, especially the Congress. He criticized the policies and historical decisions of the Congress while discussing issues like Article 370, reservation, and EVMs. Also, Shah presented a comparative statement of the number of constitutional amendments during the tenure of BJP and Congress governments.Strength of the Constitution and establishment of democracyAmit Shah started his speech by emphasizing the importance of the Constitution and the success of democracy. He said that at the time of independence many people doubted that democracy would not succeed in India. But thanks to the efforts of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, democracy took deep roots. He underlined that the Indian Constitution has been prepared keeping in mind Indian traditions even after taking inspiration from the constitutions of other countries.Shah accused the Congress of repeatedly amending the Constitution under its political agenda. He said the BJP amended the Constitution 22 times in 16 years, while the Congress amended it 77 times in 55 years.Tough stand on 370 and reservationReferring to the decision to scrap Article 370, Shah said it requires an "iron liver". He claimed that after the scrapping of 370 and 35A, the Congress had said "rivers of blood will flow," but nothing of the sort happened. On the issue of reservation on the basis of religion, he categorically said that as long as the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power, such reservation will not be implemented.He said the Congress neglected to give reservation rights to backward castes, while the Narendra Modi government gave them their rights through constitutional amendment.EVMs and political contradictionsShah also took a dig at the opposition's allegations on EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines). He said that some political parties blame EVMs, but when they win elections, they stop questioning the same EVMs.Criticism of Congress and the issue of emergencyShah quoted a poem by Dushyant Kumar while accusing the Congress of throttling democracy during the Emergency. "The misuse of the Constitution during the Emergency is a black chapter in history," he said. He also said that Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi curbed freedom of expression and fundamental rights by amending the Constitution during their tenure.Mention of Veer Savarkar and freedom struggleDefending Veer Savarkar, Shah targeted Congress leaders. He said that Savarkar should be considered a symbol of patriotism and courage. He also pointed out that Indira Gandhi herself had described Savarkar as a "great man".Attack on Mohabbat ki Dukaan and appeasementShah accused the opposition of doing politics of appeasement. He said that those who give the slogan of "opening the shop of love" forget that the public knows how to differentiate between love and hate.ConclusionAmit Shah's speech in the Rajya Sabha not only underlines the importance of the Constitution, but also shows that the current government is committed to taking the Constitution forward in accordance with Indian values and democratic ideals. The sharp attack on the opposition and the reference to historical events in his address give a political color to this debate.