Rahul Gandhi breaks silence, says BJP insults Ambedkar with attacks on Constitution (Ld)

Mumbai/New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) Under constant assault for displaying a red-coloured copy of the Constitution in his political rallies, Congress' Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi broke silence over the issue, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of 'insulting' B.R. Ambedkar, the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution.

"The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate any insult by the BJP – together with the Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi, they will defend our Constitution by responding with full force to every attack on it," said Rahul Gandhi.

Without taking names but referring to BJP's Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, the Congress LoP hit back at the former by saying that "showing Babasaheb’s Constitution and raising voice for Caste Census is a Naxalite idea!"

"This thinking of the BJP is an insult to the Constitution maker, Maharashtra's son Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. During the Lok Sabha (2024) elections, the people of the state fought for the Constitution and gave a big victory to the MVA," Rahul Gandhi pointed out.

He said that all such shameful attempts of the BJP would fail, and vowed that a Caste Census will be done after the MVA comes to power in Maharashtra.

Rahul Gandhi's statement came hours after the Congress launched a major counter-offensive against Fadvnavis who has accused the Congress leader of hobnobbing with 'Urban Naxals' by displaying a red-coloured mini-copy of the Constitution.

The charge was led by AICC General Secretary and Rajya Sabha Member Jairam Ramesh and Media & Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera, besides other state leaders who ripped Fadnavis for his comments against Rahul Gandhi.

In the past couple of days, Fadnavis alleged in a media interview and in interactions that Rahul Gandhi is encircled by 'Urban Naxals', anarchist and anti-national forces, is less of a Congressman and transformed more into an ultra-Left ideologue, and how he flaunts a Constitution copy with a red cover instead of the traditional blue.

Ramesh said that Fadnavis' remarks clearly indicate that he is getting 'desperate' before the elections and is objecting to Rahul Gandhi showing the copy of the Constitution in his rallies and speeches.

"This ‘red book’ is the Constitution of India, and its Chief Architect was DR. B. R. Ambedkar... It’s the same Constitution which the RSS had attacked in Nov. 1949 as it was not inspired by Manusmriti. It’s the very same Constitution that the PM now wants to replace,” said Ramesh sharply.

Ramesh reminded Fadnavis that as far as the "red book" is concerned, it carries a foreword by one of India's most distinguished legal personalities, K.K. Venugopal, who was the Attorney General of India during 2017-2022.

“Previously, the non-biological divinity and the self-proclaimed Chanakya have also been presented with the red book. As far as ‘urban naxals’ is concerned, the Union Home Ministry told Parliament on February 9th, 2022, and March 11th, 2020, that the Government of India does not use the term! Fadnavis should think first and then speak,” said Ramesh.

In a jibe at the state BJP leader, Khera sought to know whether “Fadnavis had noticed the colour of the Constitution when he took the world famous secret oath of office’ at dawn on November 22, 2019, at the Maharashtra Raj Bhavan” – referring to the infamous 80-hour long regime of Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar.

Khera flayed the BJP for releasing fake advertisements of the MVA’s ‘5 Guarantees' and said the Congress will lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI).

“The unconstitutional MahaYuti government has only looted Maharashtra in the past two-and-half years, and its corruption through commissions and percentages would embarrass even the Guinness World Records. Now, only the final 15 days of this unscrupulous regime are left, and the regime will be ousted on November 23," Khera said.

Congress President Nana F. Patole and Spokesperson Atul Londhe have said that the colour ‘red’ is considered very auspicious but the people who are trying to destroy the Constitution find the same (red) colour as impure.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmi@gmail.com)

--IANS

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