Constitution keeps country together, says Modi as Rahul attacks govt in Lok Sabha
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday concluded the Constitution debate in the Rajya Sabha and praised Baba Saheb Ambedkar for his 'exemplary' contribution to the nation.
"I am sure during meetings there would have been pressure from all corners with different views, but still we got a perfect constitution. If there is something we turn to when we need guidance and inspiration it is the Constitution. This debate is special because we mark the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and our nation cannot forget or ignore the exemplary contribution," the Prime Minister said.
Our Constitution is not about laws only. It is a social document. We admire these facets of our Constitution: PM in Rajya Sabha
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 1, 2015Asserting that the Constitution was the only element binding the nation, he added that the main reason behind celebrating the rulebook was to make the young people aware of the great leaders of the past.
"Constitution should be a celebration and the message of the Constitution must reach the future generations. Every person has made a positive contribution to the nation and that is how the nation was made," Narendra Modi said.
Emphasizing that the Constitution was a social document and was not only about the laws, he said that the nation has a responsibility to live up to it and should follow the principle of togetherness.
Meanwhile in the Lok Sabha, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi led the Congress' charge and attacked the govt over a range of issues including the Dadri lynching and the Sahitya Academi row.
“A Muslim man is killed in cold blood. The man ultimately responsible for his protection, the PM, remained silent” Rahul Gandhi said, referring to the lynching of a Muslim man over beef eating rumours.
“Pakistan's weakness is their intolerance. Their leaders don't hear the voice of their people. India is successful because we have embraced our people. Our strength is our tolerance”, he said.
Will the PM start to listen to the voice of our people?Or will he stand by &watch as his colleagues trample on the voice of this country?
— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 1, 2015Rahul also raked up BJP leader V K Singh's 'dog' remark over Dalit killings in Faridabad. “Everyone in this room swore to protect rights of our people. Where is VK Singh? A general who compared Dalit children to dogs” Rahul said.
“He has directly challenged the constitution by equating Dalit children with dogs. Our PM has let a man like that (VK Singh) continue as a Minister”, Rahul added as he upped his attack on the Government.
Read:
Don't learn 'wrong lessons' from Pakistan: Rahul Gandhi to government
Nobody needs to produce a ‘certificate of patriotism’, says Narendra Modi
Intolerance was displayed only during partition, Emergency and 1984 riots: Rajnath Singh
Hate at home and Make in India abroad cannot go hand in hand: Shashi Tharoor
While the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after Modi’s speech, Rajnath Singh lashed out at the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. “If there is any party which has been the biggest target of intolerance it is BJP and the person who has been the biggest victim is PM Narendra Modi,” said Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
“Intolerance has been displayed only thrice — during partition, emergency and the 1984 riots,” he said. “You have to respect the people's verdict, only then will people say that you are tolerant,” the Home Minister said, adding, “People know who is spreading hate in the country.”
Responding to Rahul's attack on the government over VK Singh's dog remark, Rajnath Sinfh said, "You ask why PM is silent on VK Singh. Tell me something, every time something like this happened in the past did the then PM respond?"
"VK Singh himself gave a clarification, said that his statement was twisted," Rajnath added, as he defended the BJP leader.
Earlier, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that India was built on the premise of respecting diversity. “Hate at home and Make in India abroad cannot go hand in hand,” said Shashi Tharoor.
He also took a jibe at the recent events regarding intolerance and beef ban saying, “It is safer to be a cow than a Muslim in India.”
Tharoor also pointed out that foreign publications were talking about growing intolerance in India.
"Today we feel ashamed when foreign newspapers report of mounting intolerance in India", the Congress leader said and urged the Modi government to "take its own slogans seriously" and keep "India first".
Tharoor made his address in the Parliament right after BJP MP Kirron Kher, who hit out at the Congress for 65 years of 'misrule and corruption'.
'You can't tolerate any one here. 65 years this country has tolerated misrule and corruption', Kher told opposition parties in Lok Sabha.
On Tuesday, BJP MPs were asked to avoid making provocative statements amid the debate in Parliament over the issue of intolerance where controversial comments by some party leaders, including ministers, have come in handy for the opposition in its attack on the government.
In the first parliamentary party meeting during the Winter session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu told the members that provocative statements are being used by the anti-BJP forces to deflect the attention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda.
