The takeaways from the debate on Constitution

While appreciating the two-day special session of Parliament marking the75 th anniversary of Indian Constitution as appropriate, it is relevant to examine if both Houses held meaningful discussion on to what extent the great democratic, secular, socialist Constitution was put in practice. The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress spent most of the time blaming each other. The representatives of other parties naturally stood firm on their respective positions. However, it cannot be ignored that the discussion did not focus on a strong defense of the fundamental principles in a situation where the basic ideals of democracy, secularism and socialism are facing unprecedented challenges. ‘The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is that scripture which is most worshippable after Vedas for our Hindu nation and from which our ancient times have become the basis for our culture, customs, thought and practice. This book, for centuries, has codified the spiritual and divine march of our nation. Today, Manusmiriti is law,’ Rahul Gandhi quoted the words of Savarkar and commendably asked how the BJP can protect, while worshipping Savarkar, the current Constitution.

The BJP requested the Supreme Court to remove the words Secularism and socialism from the Constitution. Just as the Supreme Court rejected that plea, the Sangh Parivar's next move could be to gain two-thirds majority in Parliament and then fight for Savarkar's dream of Hindutva Raj. Concluding the discussion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi as usual tired hard to put the Nehru family in the dock. There was nothing inopportune in his strong criticism of the Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi in 1975 to continue in power, suspending the fundamental rights in the Constitution. The declaration of Emergency was an unwise step that brought in far-reaching consequences. But it would be a complete ungratefulness to deny Jawaharlal Nehru’s unique role in maintaining India as a strong democratic nation when most Asian and African countries slipped into dictatorship and military coups after independence. Similarly, Nehruvian thought and statesmanship played a crucial role in defending the country for more than six decades from getting imposed the majority’s beliefs and unscientific schools of thoughts. At the same time, it cannot be denied that the Congress party, alongside having failed to resist the socio economic inequalities the extreme right wing was implementing by involving with big corporations, created opportunity for it.

The current Hindutva government is incapable of ensuring or protecting social justice, equality of opportunity and a fearless environment for 1.45 billion Indians of all castes and religions and in truth they have no such agenda. There are constant attempts to impose on millions of vulnerable people the decrees that they claim to be belonging to the majority community. People who think along this line have infiltrated the courts. Even as India continues to have highest number of the poor in the world, the ruling elite is wholly interested in manufacturing or purchasing most advanced weapons splurging crores of rupees. Those questioning this could be branded as traitors and spend the rest of their lives behind bars. The government, hamstrung by the super-rich, is forever alert to keep the minorities and vulnerable groups as orderlies. All this is accompanied by the belief that they are being punished for sins from their past lives. In his speech, Prime Minister Modi has presented eleven programs for the wellbeing of the country and its future. One of them is the eradication of corruption. What corruption Modiji can fight out while in bonhomie with Adani who is accused of huge corruption in the US?