NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying that the constitution makers understood the importance of unity in diversity and supported it. But some people, instead of celebrating it, started spreading poison. Responding to the debate organized on the completion of 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, the Prime Minister also mentioned the Emergency and said that this period is such a stain on the Congress, which can never be washed off.
He said that Jawaharlal Nehru amended the Constitution for the first time in 1951 and his daughter Indira Gandhi took it forward by making her amendments and imposing emergency while in power. He said that the Congress amended the Constitution 75 times in six decades. The Prime Minister mentioned the Emergency and lashed out at the Congress. He said that Indira Gandhi strangled democracy. He said that the Congress has tasted the blood of the constitutional amendment. I also talk about this family because in my 75-year journey, 55 years have been ruled by one family. The country has the right to know what has happened.
Modi said that when the Constitution was completing 25 years, it was torn apart. Emergency was imposed. Constitutional arrangements were abolished. The country was turned into a prison. The rights of citizens were snatched away. The sin on Congress’ forehead will never be washed away. Whenever democracy will be discussed in the world, the sins of Congress will be discussed.

He said that Indira Gandhi strangled democracy. He said that Congress has blood on its mouth due to the constitutional amendment. He said that in my 75-year journey, 55 years have been ruled by one family, so the country has the right to know what has happened. The PM said that many countries took decades to give women their rights, but the Constitution of India gave them the right to vote right from the beginning.
He said, “Our Constitution is the foundation of India’s unity… India has always celebrated unity in diversity, but some people kept finding contradictions in diversity and instead of celebrating this treasure, tried to sow the seeds of poison in diversity so that the unity of India could be hurt.” The Prime Minister said that at a time when the Constitution of India completed 25 years, there was a big attack on it in the form of Emergency.
He said, “When India was celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Constitution, the Constitution of our country was ripped apart… Emergency was imposed. Constitutional provisions were suspended. The country was turned into a prison, the rights of citizens were taken away and freedom of the press was curbed. Congress cannot erase this sin. Whenever there will be a discussion about ‘democracy’ in the world, this sin of Congress will be remembered.” He said the seeds of amendment in the Constitution were sown by Jawaharlal Nehru, who had written to the Chief Ministers that if it comes in the way, it should be changed. “The Congress amended it at least 75 times in six decades. India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru sowed the seeds and Indira Gandhi watered and nurtured them. In 1975, she overturned the Supreme Court’s verdict through a constitutional amendment.” Taking a dig at Congress’ allies in the India Bloc, he said some party chiefs were also jailed during the Emergency but they are now associated with the same outfit.
Modi said Rajiv Gandhi had insulted the Supreme Court and the Constitution by overturning the Shah Bano case verdict that said Muslim women were entitled to alimony from their husbands after divorce. “It was started by Nehru, Indira Gandhi took it forward and so did Rajiv Gandhi. The next generation is doing the same,” he said sarcastically. Attacking Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Modi said the National Advisory Council was used to place an unelected person above then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

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