Priyanka Gandhi Vadra led the Opposition's fight – amid cheers and jeers – on Day 1 of the Lok Sabha's big debate on Friday, raising a range of issues, starting with the communal violence in Sambhal last month, to question the role of the Constitution assuraksha kavach'”, or 'security blanket'.
The Constitution, she quietly raged, is not the rule book of the Sangh, referring to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. 'It seems that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not understood that this is the case'Bharat ka Samvidhan' not 'Sangh ka Vidhanshe said.
The Congress MP also slammed the BJP for using federal agencies to 'censor' rivals – an accusation often leveled by the opposition, especially in the polls, and which confuses the 'washing machine' jibe – in a rousing first speech after Defense Minister Rajnath Singh's opening address.
Attack over Sambhal
“A few days ago, some people from the affected families of Sambhal came to meet us… there were two children among them – Adnan and Uzair. One was my son's age (Raihan Vadra is 24) and the other was around 17. Their father was a tailor who had one dream: to see his sons get an education,” she began.
“The police shot dead their father… Adnan told me he would grow up to be a doctor and fulfill his father's dream… a dream instilled in him by the Constitution of India.”
READ | “He was buying oil”: Man's brother killed in Sambhal
'Our Constitution is our lighthouse, our'suraksha kavach' (armor that provides security) … it keeps citizens safe. But it is sad that in a decade, colleagues from the ruling side (referring to the BJP), who have high demands, have made attempts to break this 'kavach',” she said in a subdued but fierce speech.
“Had it not been for the Lok Sabha results (where the Congress-led INDIA bloc took the BJP to its lowest individual score in the last three elections), the ruling party would have started changing the Constitution. Nevertheless, we must work to break this. 'kavach'has already started', Mrs Gandhi warned Vadra.
Attack on the caste census
Mrs Gandhi Vadra's attacks, among other things, underline the opposition's demand for a caste census.
“…a caste census is the need of the hour but they are downplaying it by discussing things like mangalsutras,she said referring to the row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment this year, before the April-May federal elections, about Congress robbing people of their wealth to give to “infiltrators”.
READ | On PMs Mangalsutra Note, PGV points to mother and grandmother
“He (the Prime Minister) says Congress wants to take your gold… your mangalsutra. The country has been independent for 70 years… the Congress ruled for 55 years. Did someone rob you of your gold or… mangalsutra? Indira Gandhi gave her gold… my mother sacrificed her mangalsutra…”
“Nowadays people are demanding a caste census. A colleague from the ruling side (Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, whose Republican Party of India (A) is a BJP ally) also mentioned this. A caste census is essential so that we know the condition of everyone and policy can be made accordingly,” she says.
“Today, people are demanding a caste census to understand the reality of the country… but the government is dodging its responsibility, often by citing events of 1929 or questioning the actions of Nehru (former Prime Minister Jawaharlal). What is your responsibility?” she asked to loud cheers from Congress MPs.
“Better than mine”: Rahul Gandhi
Mrs Gandhi Vadra's brother Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, hailed the speech as “better than mine”. “Amazing… Better than my first speech… so to speak,” he said.
With input from agencies
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