Rahul Gandhi to launch 'Save Constitution' campaign from Monday
New Delhi, April 22: Accusing the BJP-RSS leadership of "systematically destroying" the Constitution, the Congress on Sunday announced that its President Rahul Gandhi will launch a nationwide "Save the Constitution" campaign on April 23 from Delhi's Talkatora stadium.
"Rahul Gandhi ji will launch the campaign on April 23 at the Talkatora Stadium. Senior Congress leaders will join him," AICC Scheduled Caste Department Chairman Nitin Raut said in a statement.
He said that the party's scheduled caste leaders from block to national levels will participate in the programme and the campaign would go on for nearly a year till April 14, 2019.
"The campaign would be taken up at the state-level by the party's respective SC departments to reach out to the common man at the village level," he said.
The Congress campaign comes at a time when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is holding "Gram Swaraj Abhiyan" across the country under which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked party MPs and MLAs to spend a night in Dalit-dominated villages.
The Prime Minister's direction to party leaders came after violent protests erupted in parts of the country after a Supreme Court order allegedly diluted the Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Raut said that the BJP and RSS leadership was systematically destroying the Indian Constitution to wreck the country's social fabric to enforce their pernicious Manuwadi social order that was contrary to what the Constitution had nurtured and protected.
"Ever since the RSS-supported BJP has come to power at the Centre, the Constitution has been under severe attack, in one form or the other, thereby denying the marginalised sections of society their constitutional rights," he said.
Raut said that the institutions such as the RBI, Supreme Court, Election Commission and erstwhile Planning Commission were all under threat.
"The RBI was sidelined while deciding on demonetisation. The Planning Commission was dismantled to establish NITI Aayog that has no accountability. The voice of four Supreme Court senior most Judges has been silenced and the Election Commission made to wait for government's approval to announce election schedules," he said.
The Congress leader said that the BJP-RSS combine is set to dismantle the social security available for SCs, STs and other weaker sections.
"The RSS ideology attacks the basic structure of the Indian Constitution. This would be countered by the Congress," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
R-Day parade: Navy wins best marching contingent award, Maharashtra tops tableau category
New Delhi (PTI): Indian Navy has been adjudged the best marching contingent among the three wings of the armed forces at this year's Republic Day Parade, officials have said.
Maharashtra won the top prize in the category of states and Union Territories for its tableau showcasing Ganeshotsav, while the culture ministry's tableau celebrating the 150-year legacy of 'Vande Mataram' emerged as the winner in the ministries and departments category.
The Navy's marching contingent comprised 144 young personnel marching shoulder-to-shoulder on the historic Kartavya Path, symbolising it as a progressive and strong maritime force, Navy officials said on Wednesday.
The Navy's marching contingent won the top prize in the best marching contingent among the three services, while Delhi Police's contingent was adjudged the best marching contingent among Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other auxiliary forces, they said.
In the state and Union Territories tableau category, Jammu and Kashmir won the second prize, followed by Kerala in third place.
Maharashtra's tableau presented a blend of modernity and tradition, portraying the Ganesh festival as a symbol of self-reliance. Dressed in traditional attire, a troupe of women dancers performed Lezim, a folk dance, on either side of the tableau during the parade on the ceremonial boulevard.
The culture ministry's tableau celebrated 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', showcasing the song's composition by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, a colonial-era recording by a famous Marathi singer and its rendition by a group representing the 'Gen Z'.
Themed 'Vande Mataram: The Soul-Cry of a Nation', the tableau's foreground section depicted the manuscript of 'Vande Mataram' being composed, while a panel on its lower side depicted an image of Chatterjee.
The middle section carried a group of artistes in traditional costumes, depicting the folk diversity of India, while some were seen in modern dresses, representing the 'Gen Z'.
Behind them, a series of art installations showcased celebrated actor and musician of Marathi cinema and theatre, Vishnupant Pagnis, recording the song, freedom fighters facing the gallows, and an imposing image of 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India) holding the Tricolour.
The depiction was of the rare 1928 recording of the song by him, an official said.
The award presentation ceremony will take place on January 30 at the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp, another official said.
A special prize was awarded to the Central Public Works Department's tableau, which celebrated 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' with a floral float; and the 'Vande Mataram: The Eternal Resonance of India' dance group, officials said.
In the 'Popular Choice' category, based on an online poll conducted on the MyGov portal, citizens voted the Assam Regiment as the best marching contingent among the three services, while the CRPF won the award for the best marching contingent among the CAPFs and other auxiliary forces.
Gujarat secured the top spot in the popular choice category for states and Union territories with its tableau themed 'Mantra of Swadeshi-Self-Reliance-Freedom: Vande Mataram', followed by Uttar Pradesh (theme - Culture of Bundelkhand) and Rajasthan (theme - Golden Touch of the Desert: Bikaner Gold Art).
The Department of School Education and Literacy's tableau (theme - National Education Policy) was chosen as the best tableau from central ministries and departments in the 'Popular Choice' category, they said.
