Parliament Session Updates: INDIA Bloc, BJP Exchange Barbs During Constitution Debate

According to the agreement with the Opposition, the BJP-led NDA government had agreed to a debate on the Constitution on December 13-14 in the Lok Sabha and on December 16-17 in the Rajya Sabha.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will initiate the debate on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to initiate a similar debate in the Rajya Sabha, PTI reported.

The debate on the Constitution has been the key demand of the opposition for the Winter Session of Parliament. The Centre agreed to the demand and scheduled the debates accordingly on December 13-14 in the Lok Sabha and on December 16-17 in the Rajya Sabha.

While Rahul Gandhi was likely to start the discussion on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha on behalf of the opposition as LoP, some leaders pointed to a change of strategy and said that Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may open the debate for the opposition camp which would be her maiden speech in the Lok Sabha.

The debate on the Constitution will be held today to mark the start of its 75th year since adoption. The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India on November 26, 1949, and it came into effect on January 26, 1950.

While January 26 is celebrated as Republic Day, November 26 has been observed as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas) since 2015. The Constituent Assembly, which was responsible for drafting the Constitution, held its first session on December 9, 1946, with 207 members. Initially, it had 389 members, but after Independence and the Partition, the number reduced to 299.

It took over three years for the assembly to draft the Constitution, spending more than 114 days reviewing the draft. They consulted several sources, including the Constitutions of other countries, and made changes to suit India's needs.

One major source was the Government of India Act of 1935, which introduced a bicameral legislature (upper and lower Houses) at the Centre and in six provinces, along with direct elections. At that time, it was one of the longest pieces of legislation passed in the British Parliament. On December 13, 1946, Nehru introduced the "Objectives Resolution," which was later adopted as the Preamble on January 22, 1947, outlining the basic philosophy of the Constitution.

Speaking to PTI outside Parliament, Congress MP K Suresh said, "Today and tomorrow are very important days. It is the 75th year of completion of our Constitution. So, we are celebrating and discussing the advantages and merits of Constitution."

BJP MP and Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "Today is an important day... we observe (November 26) as Constitution Day... PM Modi started this. Today, we will have discussion on the Constitution in Parliament (Lok Sabha) too."

On Friday morning, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge explained the important reasons behind the Opposition parties demanding for the debate on the Constitution.

Kharge said, "We had put the condition of discussion on the Constitution because a lot of unconstitutional activities are going on in the country. Modi government is misusing the autonomous institutions of the country, which is not right at all. That is why we wanted there to be a discussion on the Constitution, so that everyone knows how the government is being run."

The Congress has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to expunge what it said were "defamatory" remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey during the Zero Hour on Thursday.

In his letter to Birla, Congress whip Manickam Tagore said the content of almost the entire matter raised by Dubey during the Zero Hour was unacceptable and also in gross violation of the provisions of Rule 352 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

He cites Dubey's comments in the letter and said that "as is well evident, the aforementioned remarks by Nishikant Dubey are derogatory and imputing false and damaging motives and casting aspersions on the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Chairperson of Congress Parliamentary Party and Member of Rajya Sabha Sonia Gandhi".

"So much so that aspersions have also been cast on Late Rajiv Gandhi, Former Prime Minister of India. In the context of derogatory references," he said.

"In view of the foregoing, the remarks of Nishikant Dubey, as mentioned above, are defamatory, undignified and in violation of the provisions of Rule 352 of the Rules," Tagore said in his letter to Birla dated December 12.

It is, therefore, requested that the said remarks be immediately expunged from the proceedings of Lok Sabha Debates dated December 12, 2024, the Congress leader said.

Dubey had raised the issue of alleged connections between Congress leaders and George Soros-backed outfits that were purportedly working on an agenda to destabilise India.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till December 16 amid ruckus between treasury, opposition benches over no-trust motion against the chairman.

The debate on the Constitution has started in the Lok Sabha. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "Constitution was an expression of general will of people."

Union Minister Rajnath Singh during his speech at Lok Sabha during the Constitution debate stated, “Some people consider our Constitution as colonial and some other say it is borrowed. Some claim that one party gave it. The fact is that our Constitution is an expression of our civilisational values. It carries the legacy of our freedom struggle."

He mentioned the influence of Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh and Veer Savarkar in the Constitution, saying, "There were also people who were not members of the constituent assembly whose legacy is part of the constitution. We should remember that Pandit Malaviya, Sardar Patel, Bhagat Singh and Veer Savarkar have also contributed to its ethos.”

“The truth is that our Constitution is the expression of our civilisational values,” he added.

Speaking of the founding mothers of Indian constitution Rajnath Singh honoured the women who played role inm upgholding the constiutution of India.

He mentioned names of 11 women.

Rajnath Singh at the Lok Sabha quoted Dr Syama Prasad Mookerji and what he believed about the Indian Constitution, he said " Mookerji believed that the Constitution should be a result of collective ethos and consensus. In 1944, the Constitution of the Hindustan State contained the views of many leaders. It said that the state should have religious freedom. It also gave each citizen the right to protect his or her culture. The state was supposed to be secular. This was being said by those who were termed communal by the Congress."

He added, "Dr Mookerji was very inspired by the document. He wanted a strong centre and advocated a democratic Constitution. But such details are never mentioned….One party tried to hijack and appropriate the Constitution…All these things have been concealed. Our Constitution is not the gift of a party but belongs to the people of India.”

Rajnath Singh claimed consecutive Congress governments have tried to manipulate judiciary and bureaucracy. Singh said, "Congress has disrespected constitution, they wanted committed judiciary committed bureaucracy''.

Singh's comments came amid uproar from the opposition members in the Lower House.

During his speech on Constitution, Rajnath Singh mentioned about Mahabaharat. Singh said, “Mahabharat has asked the king to follow Raj Dharma. His powers are for the good of the people. Our Constitution is also committed to the good of the people. In Part IV, the Directive Principles of State Policy, this thing becomes clear.”

“Our Constitution enables a person from a poor family to become PM or President. This was ignored after independence but our government is committed to it. We have broken colonial shackles and brought new penal laws.

Today, poor people are getting pucca houses, free treatment and free ration, tap water, and toilets. Our government is working for women-led development and has passed the Naari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Our government gave constitutional status to the OBC Commission. We have also brought EWS quota. All these are concrete expressions of our constitutional values.

We also implemented the Constitution in a state where it was not applicable. People there have voted in large numbers and the election was violence-free.

In the original copy of our constitution, in Part III, where the fundamental rights are discussed, there is a depiction of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman. Ajanta Caves paintings and the lotus is also depicted. The latter depicts coming out of centuries of slavery…” he said.

- Indian Express

Rajnath Singh during his speech said, "Congress has tried to change constitution many times, during Jawahar Nehru's time it was changed 17, 28 times during Indira Gandhi's regime and 11 times during Rajiv Gandhi's time and 7 times during Manmohan Singh's time these amendments were mostly to muzzle the opposition or promote wrong policies".

Senior BJP Leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said the contribution of several leaders in the making of the Constitution was deliberately ignored and hit out at the Congress, asserting that a particular party always tried to "hijack and appropriate" the framing of the Constitution.

He pointed out that the Constitution had talked about religious freedom and it had been specified that the state will not have a religion and will be secular.

"This was stated by those who were dubbed communal by the people of the Congress," he said.

Singh said the Constitution was an expression of the general will of the people.

Speaking at the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh said, "There was a state in the country where the Indian Constitution was not implemented and Parliamentary laws were not implemented properly. However, we have implemented the Constitution there as well. The positive outcome of this decision is being observed by the entire nation."

He also said that there was a time when the Indian Constitution and parliamentary laws were not fully implemented in certain states. "However, the government has now ensured the implementation of the Constitution in every state, and the positive outcomes of this decision are being observed nationwide."

Taking a swipe at Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi who have been seen carrying a copy of the Constitution with themselves, Rajnath Singh said, “I see that many Opposition leaders are moving around with a copy of the Constitution in their pocket. They have learnt this from childhood. They have seen Constitution being kept in the pocket over generations in their family. But BJP places he Constitution on its forehead.”

Rahul Gandhi confirms that his sister and Wayand MP Priyanka Gandhi will make her debut speech at Lok Sabha today during the Constitution debate.

In a post on Instagram Rahul Gandhi shared a photo of him with Sonia Gandhi, Robert Varda and Priyanka's son as he wrote, "Ready for Priyanka라이브 바카라 maiden speech in Parliament ❤️"

Priyanka Gandhi on Friday began her maiden speech at the Parliamnet during the Constitution debate. She said, "Our Independence struggle was a unique one in the world as it was based on truth, non-violence".

Priyanka Gandhi spoke about her conversation with the father of a girl in Unnao who was raped and murdered and another conversation of a widowed woman whose husband was beaten to death and in both these incidents the families believed in the power of the Constitution as they hoped for justice.

Both the deceased persons belonged to lower caste and underprivileged groups.

Narrating the incident of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, she said, "A few people from the bereaved families of Sambhal had come to meet us. There were two children among them - Adnan and Uzair. One of them was my son's age and the other was younger, 17 years of age. Their father was a tailor. The tailor had just one dream - that he would get his children educated, one son would become a doctor and the other too would be successful. The Police shot their father dead. The 17-year-old Adnan told me that he would grow up to be a doctor and realise his father's dream. This dream and hope was instilled in his heart by the Constitution of India."

Priyanka Gandhi at Parliament said, "Constitution gave people strength to recognise they have right to justice and are capable of raising voice against government." She also said, "Our Constitution is a 'suraksha kavach', it protects people; sadly ruling party has made all attempts to break that shield."

Priyanka Gandhi said, "If not for LS poll results, they (BJP) would have begun changing Constitution". She accused the BJP government is trying to weaken reservation through lateral entry, privatisation.

"Truth is BJP now talks of Constitution as they got to know in LS polls that people are protecting it," she added in her speech.

Priyanka Gandhi blamed the BJP government of making the rich people richer and selling essential business to businessman Gautam Adani.

She said, "Country is watching 1.4 bn people being ignored to save one person; all wealth, ports, roads, mines being given to him."

"Government is favouring Adani….People used to believe that Constitution will protect them, but now they have lost trust," she added.

Samajwadi Party chief and MP Akhilesh Yadav began his speech stating, "Constitution is the heart and soul of the country. Its our strength and security."

He then continued to remember Dr. BR Ambedkar for drafting the Constitution, and quoted him saying that a good Constitution is not enough but the people who are adopting the Constitution should have good intentions.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lok Sabha spoke on alleged Chinese transgressions and said, "Our borders are shrinking."

Akhilesh Yadav said, "Govt should give figures on per capita income of those below poverty line." He also alleged, "Efforts being made to reduce minorities to second-grade citizens."

He also stated, "Without economic justice, neither social nor political justice can be achieved. By taking undue advantage of poverty, the government of wealthy businessmen distributes money in elections, thereby hijacking political justice."

Akhilesh Yadav referring to Rajnath Singh's speech earlier during the debate, said that as Singh expressed that the BJP has no problem with caste census, "Whenever we get opportunity, we will conduct caste census".

He added, "Caste census will bridge gap among castes."

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee beginning his speech at the Parliament asked the naming of the event 'glorious 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India' to explain which part was glorious or inglorious.

He also stated that "Preamble is the heart and soul of the Constitution". He mentioned about focusing on the words such as secular in Preamble which he claimed the BJP-ruled government is not respecting.

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee during his speech blamed the BJP government for neglecting the crisis in Manipur. He mentioned about the crimes against women committed in the troubled state.

He then went on to talk about BJP's campaign ahead of the Lok Sabha earlier this year and take up the same issue of crimes against women in West Bengal, particularly Sandeshkhali. Banerjee added that with TMC's win at Basirhat constituency (under which Sandeshkhali is located) in the Lok Sabha was a fitting reply to BJP's propaganda.

Going back to the context of Manipur, Kalyan Banerjee asked, "If the women in Manipur are not daughters of India" as her referred to BJP campaigns in Bengal where they claimed that the daughters of India are being tortured in Bengal related to the Sandeshkhali case.

Banerjee also mentioned the brutal rape and murder case in Kolkata hospital in August 2024 and mentioned that after CBI took over the case there has been very little progress. Whereas in other similar cases, handled by the West Bengal government the accused have been prosecuted in given time.

Kalyan Banerjee also claimed that if Constitution doesn't help the women in Manipur in due time the value of the document is lost. He said, "Constitutional rights of Manipur citizens have been violated".

During his speech at Lok Sabha, DMK MP TR Balu explained that secularism in Constitution is not just a symbol but underscore India's commitment to a fair and just society.

He further said that denying secularism will destroy the spirit of India's democracy.

TDP MP Dr. Byreddy Shabari explaining the power of Consitution at the debate in Lok Sabha spoke about the contribution of Dr. BR Ambedkar and how his own life experiences as a person belonging to a Dalit family shaped the document that protects citizens of this country from facing such inequal treatment.

"A chaiwala could become the Prime Minister of a country, a woman from tribal community could become President of the country and an auto driver could become a Chief Minister...this is the true essence of the Constitution", said Shabari.

Priyanka Gandhi, newly elected MP from Wayanad, gave her maiden speech in Parliament on Friday during the Constitution debate. The Congress leader slammed the BJP, saying that had it not been for the Lok Sabha election results, in which the BJP scraped through to victory, the government would have begun work on changing the Constitution.

In her 32-minute speech, she highlighted the contributions made by the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, particularly recalling the Public Sector Undertakings set up by the former. She also said that despite the ruling government's attempts to erase Nehru라이브 바카라 name from books and speeches, his role in the independence struggle and nation-building cannot be written off. READ FULL STORY HERE

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged efforts are being made to reduce minorities, especially Muslims, to second-grade citizens. Participating in a debate in Lok Sabha on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India', Yadav said, "Whenever we get opportunity, we will conduct a caste census."

Yadav said a caste survey will bridge the gap among castes. He also demanded the government give figures on per capita income of those below the poverty line. Yadav attacked the government over alleged Chinese transgressions, and claimed the country's borders are shrinking.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor lauded Priyanka Gandhi's maiden speech in Parliament, calling it "an excellent" debut. Asked about her speech, Tharoor told reporters, "I think it was an excellent maiden speech. She did not speak like a first-time parliamentarian who, as she said, has had only 15 days in Parliament. She spoke with tremendous maturity, tremendous grace, tremendous intelligence. I was very impressed."

Referring to her response to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's speech criticising Congress's history, Tharoor added, "She very rightly pointed out—when will they talk about today?"

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Mahua Moitra on Friday attacked the BJP government for 'bulldozer justice'.

"Agencies like ED and CBI have turned into extortionist departments of the government," Moitra said. In her address she also attacked the BJP government over the abrogation of Article 370 in the Jammu and Kashmir and said that the free speech of J&K people has been hampered.

The Lok Sabha proceedings have been adjourned for 30 minutes following an uproar between BJP and opposition members over remarks by TMC leader Mahua Moitra.

Mahua Moitra's reference to the death of judge B H Loya "long before his time" created uproar as Union minister Kiren Rijiju accused her of raising a matter settled by the Supreme Court, and warned of "appropriate parliamentary action". The Supreme Court, while hearing some pleas, had ruled out any foul play in the death of Loya, saying he had died of natural causes.

His death in 2014 had created a major row following a media report alleging foul play, as he was hearing a politically sensitive case. After looking into the matter, the apex court had said there was no merit in PILs alleging foul play. Rijiju, also the parliamentary affairs minister said, "We will take appropriate parliamentary action. You cannot escape. You are setting a very wrong precedent."