Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, during a heated debate in the Lok Sabha on Saturday, launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing the party of humiliating Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and attempting to undermine the Constitution. Rijiju reminded the House of the historic tensions between Ambedkar and the Congress, particularly over changes made to the Constitution’s Preamble during the 42nd Amendment.
Rijiju emphasized that the Congress had altered the Preamble by adding the terms “socialist” and “secular,” which, he argued, changed the very essence of the Constitution. He also cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives, such as the “Samvidhan Samman Yatra” and the “Samvidhan Diwas” celebrations, which were aimed at promoting respect for the Constitution. Rijiju pointed out that despite these efforts, Congress leaders had criticized such moves.
The minister further contrasted the actions of his party with those of the Congress, claiming that the BJP had introduced amendments to benefit women and OBC communities, while Congress had used constitutional amendments to reverse judicial orders, such as the Shah Bano case. Rijiju also accused Congress of frequently using Article 355 and 356 to dismiss state governments, unlike the BJP, which had used these provisions sparingly.
In a passionate defense of the Northeast, Rijiju criticized Congress for neglecting the region, noting that before 2014, the Northeast had the highest number of militant groups in the world and lacked proper infrastructure. He highlighted the significant improvements made by the BJP government in building roads and airports in the region since taking office.
Rijiju also reflected on how Congress denied Ambedkar an economic ministry, sidelined him from cabinet committees, and prevented him from returning to the Lok Sabha. He pointed to Ambedkar’s resignation letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, accusing Congress of mistreating the architect of the Constitution. Rijiju also questioned why the Congress had not awarded Ambedkar the Bharat Ratna posthumously, while the Modi government had created pilgrimage sites in his honor.
In closing, Rijiju urged all parties to unite for India’s progress, emphasizing that despite the country’s democratic success, it lagged behind others like Singapore in economic growth. He expressed confidence that with collaborative efforts, India would become a developed nation within the next 23 years.
