New Delhi, Dec 13 A special two-day discussion to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution started in the Lok Sabha on Friday with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh initiating the debate.
He began his speech by paying tributes to the martyrs of the 2021 Parliament terror attack.
The Defence Minister hailed the Constitution and called it a roadmap to keep the country united, democratic and self-reliant.
"We the people of India adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949...I heartily congratulate this House and all the citizens of the country on the occasion of the completion of 75 years of adoption of the Constitution... I can say that our Constitution paves the way for nation building by touching all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life..."
He said the Opposition attempted to give it "political colour".
"The Constitution of India is a moral compass for every citizen and provides a strong sense of identity to every individual," said Singh.
He said that many try to paint it as a gift of the colonial rule, and a collation of the good of many Constitutions of the Western civilisations."
"The role of many in drafting the Constitution was muted out. It was born out of the sacred fire of the Independence movement, its roots were nourished by the blood of soldiers," said Rajnath Singh.
The Defence Minister said that many who were not a part of the committee that drafted the Constitution contributed significantly to it. He named Madan Mohan Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh and Veer Savarkar.
He said the BJP-led Centre has over the years worked to protect the government and several key schemes have been developed keeping in mind the important elements of the Constitution.
The Minister attacked the Opposition saying it has insulted the Constitution on many occasions. Without naming Congress, he said that one party has worked to hijack the Constitution.
"Our Constitution is a well-crafted and robust framework that touches every aspect of our social, political, and cultural lives. It serves as a guiding force in the construction of the nation, ensuring cooperative federalism and national unity. It empowers the legislature, executive, and judiciary to work together for the welfare of the people of India," he said.
"The Constitution remains a roadmap for making India a model nation. However, in recent years, attempts have been made to create the perception that the Constitution is the legacy of a particular political party. Such claims undermine the collective efforts of the Constituent Assembly and the sacrifices of countless individuals who contributed to its creation...," said the Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to deliver the concluding remarks on the evening of December 14.
A key highlight of Friday’s session will be the maiden speech by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Prominent members from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including H.D. Kumaraswamy, Srikant Shinde, Shambhavi Chaudhary, Rajkumar Sangwan, Jiten Ram Manjhi, Anupriya Patel, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh, are also expected to participate in the debate.
Opposition leaders such as DMK’s T.R. Balu and A. Raja, along with Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, are likely to participate.
Both the BJP and Congress have issued a ‘three-line whip’ to ensure the presence of their members during this important session.
A similar debate on the Constitution will be held on Monday and Tuesday in the Rajya Sabha, with Home Minister Amit Shah set to lead the discussion.
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