Constitution debate: Rahul Gandhi cites Savarkar's views, uses Eklavya analogy; BJP slams 'trash talk' (WATCH)
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Dec 14, 2024, 4:11 PM ISTLeader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday criticized the BJP, highlighting remarks by V.D. Savarkar, who claimed there was "nothing Indian" about the Constitution.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday criticized the BJP, highlighting remarks by V.D. Savarkar, who claimed there was "nothing Indian" about the Constitution. Gandhi argued that the ruling party’s claims of protecting the Constitution amounted to "ridiculing" Savarkar's views.
During a debate marking 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, the Congress leader pointed out that Savarkar, regarded as an ideologue of the BJP and RSS, had expressed a preference for the Hindu religious text Manusmriti over the Indian Constitution.
I want to start my speech by quoting your Supreme Leader Savarkar and his ideas on the Constitution of India and how he thought India should be run.
Savarkar writes:
''The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is that… pic.twitter.com/JD14AFU7zb
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"The Constitution is a document of modern India but it could never have been written without ancient India and her ideas," Rahul Gandhi said.
According to Rahul Gandhi, Savarkar had stated that there was "nothing Indian" about the Constitution and described Manusmriti as the scripture "most worshipable" for Hindus after the Vedas.
"Nice that you say you are defending the Constitution, but I want to ask, do you stand by your leader's words? Because when you speak about protecting the Constitution you are abusing, ridiculing Savarkar," the Leader of Opposition told the BJP.
Like Dronacharya took Eklavya's thumb, BJP is punishing youth of country: Rahul Gandhi
Rahul Gandhi also criticized the central government, alleging it is "cutting off" the thumb of the youth by "handing over" various sectors to industrialists. During a discussion marking the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution, Gandhi referenced his earlier speech in which he invoked the Mahabharata, positioning the Opposition as defenders of constitutional ideals.
"In my first speech, I spoke about a battle, drawing from the Mahabharata and Kurukshetra. Today, a similar battle is unfolding in India. On this side (the Opposition), we represent the defenders of the Constitution's ideals. From each state, we have champions of this cause. If you ask about Tamil Nadu, we say Periyar. For Karnataka, it's Basavanna. For Maharashtra, we mention Phule ji and Ambedkar ji. For Gujarat, it's Mahatma Gandhi. You (the ruling party) praise these figures reluctantly, because you feel compelled to. But the truth is, you aspire to govern India as it was in the past," Gandhi remarked.
Distorting Mahabharata to fuel modern divides and fulfill political agenda!
Comparing it with today's youth and instigating them with wrong facts "By implementing Agniveer you have cut off the thumbs of the youth.."
Beware It’s not ignorance—it’s a strategy. pic.twitter.com/CztdVMtyaL
He also spoke of an ongoing battle in India and recounted the story of 'Eklavya,' who sacrificed his thumb as an offering to Guru Dronacharya.
"This is Abhayamudra. Confidence, strength and fearlessness come through skill, through thumb. These people are against this. The manner in which Dronacharya cut off the thumb of Eklavya, you are busy cutting off the thumb of the entire nation. When you handover Dharavi to Adani, you cut off the thumb of entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses. When you handover India's ports, airports and defence industry to Adani, you cut off the thumbs of all fair play business of India who work honestly," he said.
"When you implemented Agniveer, you cut off the thumb of the youth. When you have paper leaks - you had 70 paper leaks, you cut off the thumb of the youth of India. Today, you lobbed tear gas shells on farmers outside Delhi, you unleashed lathi charge on the farmers. Farmers demand MSP from you. They demand a suitable price. But you facilitate profits to Adani, Ambani and cut off the thumb of farmers. We say Abhayamudra, we say "daro matt". You say, "Hum aapka angootha kaat denge." This is the difference," the Congress leader added.
The Congress leader also advocated for conducting a caste census and supported lifting the 50 percent cap on reservations.
BJP slams Rahul Gandhi over Savarkar and Eklavya jibe in Lok Sabha
BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, dismissing them as baseless and accusing him of fabricating conversations to suit his narrative. He pointed out that Indira Gandhi had publicly praised Veer Savarkar, referring to him as a great patriot, and questioned Rahul Gandhi’s credibility on the subject. Malviya argued that Gandhi, who was only 14 at the time of Indira Gandhi's death, lacked the depth and maturity to engage in an informed discussion about India’s freedom fighters, even at the age of 54. He labeled Gandhi's comments as “trash talk,” intended to mislead and provoke controversy.
इनसे ना हो पाएगा। 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/JizH2QgHRh
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya)Indira Gandhi’s views on Veer Savarkar.
Rahul Gandhi was just 14 when she died. So, the conversation he quoted in Parliament is obviously imaginary because he is incapable of an informed discussion on our freedom fighters even at 54, let alone at 14.
This is trash talk. pic.twitter.com/RLy1MsVFYe
Ravi Shankar Prasad trolling Rahul Gandhi ☠️🤣😂 pic.twitter.com/Lw70sZc150
— BALA (@erbmjha)BJP leader Kiren Rijiju also tweeted a document which showcases a letter written by Indira Gandhi in 1980 on the ever of Savarkar's birth centenary celebrations in which the former PM referred to him as 'a remarkable son of India." Meanwhile, BJP's Nishikant Dubey too slammed the Congress leader stating, "Ye zindagi main kabhi Veer Savarkar ban nahi sakta (He can never become Savarkar in his life)."
This document is for Rahul Gandhi Ji as he made an incorrect statement in Lok Sabha about Veer Savarkar. Indira Gandhi. pic.twitter.com/Me8CuS58E8
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju)Nishikant Dubey taking Rahul Gandhi to cleaners.
"Ye Zindagi mei kabhi Veer Savarkar ban nahi sakta"
🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/pqaDlxwSlD
Anurag Thakur too targeted Rahul Gandhi stating that the Leader of Opposition lacks basic knowledge about the Indian Constitution. "Those who wave the copy of Constitution, don't even know how many pages are there in the Indian Constitution," the BJP leader said in Lok Sabha.
संविधान पर कांग्रेस के फैलाए झूठ का वो सच जो आपके लिए जानना बेहद ज़रूरी है… pic.twitter.com/0Php41U2XS
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur)"You never read the Constitution. It was the power of the Constitution that forced Indira Gandhi to withdraw Emergency. The Constitution was what brought an end to the Emergency in 1975," he added.
Responding to Rahul Gandhi's 'Eklavya' jibe, Thakur further said, "It is during the Congress rule that the throats of Sikhs were cut. They talk about Sikh rights? The maximum amount of Sikhs were beheaded in the Congress era."
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