Spell out contribution of RSS, Hindu Mahasabha to making of Constitution: DMK's A Raja to BJP
New Delhi(PTI): DMK leader A Raja hit out at the BJP on Saturday, claiming that the ruling party would have changed the Constitution had the words "secular" and "socialist" not been added to the Preamble of the document during Emergency.
Participating in a debate on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, Raja also dared the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to spell out the contribution of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Hindu Mahasabha to the making of the Constitution.
The former Union minister said democracy alone was assaulted when the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) was imposed during Emergency, but under the BJP-led government, the basic structure of the Constitution, codified by the Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharti case, is under attack.
"Democracy alone was assaulted during MISA, but in your regime, entire six elements (spelt out in the Kesavananda Bharati case), namely democracy, secularism, rule of law, equality, federalism, judicial impartiality, everything has gone," Raja said.
When Union minister Pralhad Joshi pointed out that DMK founder M Karunanidhi was also arrested during Emergency, Raja countered, saying his party does have grievances with the Congress, but is sitting with it to uphold the Constitution.
"We know the pain. Do not teach us lessons. In spite of that we are sitting here. Why? We have been injured, our party has been assaulted, but we think, we believe in the Constitution, nationality and the country is above everything for all of us. That is why we are sitting with the Congress," Raja said.
The senior DMK leader said the Congress was a "silent spectator" when he and his party colleague, K Kanimozhi, were put in jail in the 2G case.
"When we were arrested, the Congress was in power. We never begged. When we were acquitted, you were in power. We never begged. We stand for what we are," Raja said.
"I do not think (about) which side we are, but the cause we are standing here (opposition benches) for, that is the problem," he added.
Certain remarks made by Raja triggered an uproar in the House and were objected to by Joshi and BJP member Nishikant Dubey. BJP member Jagadambika Pal, who was in the chair, said the remarks in question will not be part of parliamentary records.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu slammed the Congress for dividing Andhra Pradesh against the wishes of the people of the state.
"We have been hearing from the opposition that the Constitution is in danger.... I would ask the Congress to look no further than 2013," Devarayalu said.
He said the Andhra Pradesh Assembly had rejected a proposal to bifurcate the state and yet the Bill was moved in Parliament. He said the members of Parliament from the southern state were whisked out of the House when the Bill was passed.
The TDP leader also recalled that the Congress had dismissed the Andhra Pradesh government headed by Chief Minister N T Rama Rao in 1984.
Devarayalu requested the government to amend the Constitution to hold local bodies' polls as part of the proposed "one nation, one election" initiative. He also pitched for reframing the "right to education" as the "right to quality education" as students were found lacking in reading and writing skills.
Devarayalu also wanted the government to fix a timeline for governors to grant assent to bills approved by state assemblies.
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Steel mirrors deployed in Mysuru to discourage public urination
Mysuru (PTI): Fed up with people relieving themselves along roadsides, the Mysuru City Corporation has adopted a unique strategy to curb the practice and promote civic sense by installing reflective steel mirrors along pavements, officials said on Friday.
In what officials described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation installed stainless steel sheets with a mirror finish along an 80-metre stretch opposite the Mysuru Suburban Bus Stand.
Officials said the reflective sheets are intended to confront anyone attempting to urinate in public with their own reflection, thereby discouraging the act psychologically.
“The idea is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, prevent public nuisance, and promote civic sense. It is a simple yet psychological approach that encourages self-awareness through reflection,” officials added.
Soon after the mirrors were installed, videos of the initiative went viral on social media, with many people appreciating the administration’s innovative attempt to address public urination. At the same time, some users pointed out the lack of basic civic sense among people.
Several social media users also suggested that more public toilets, maintained in a hygienic condition, were needed to further discourage open urination.
Explaining how the idea originated, Nitesh Patil, Administrator and Regional Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation, told PTI that despite a public toilet being located next to the bus stand, many people continued to urinate in the open.
Even fines and warnings failed to deter them from relieving themselves against vacant compound walls, leaving behind a foul smell.
“One of our engineers came up with this idea, and we decided to implement it. The initiative has received a very positive response from the public, social media, and the press. We are now planning to identify more such locations in the city and install similar reflectors,” he said.
According to him, to ensure that the installation is both effective and visually appealing, LED lighting that switches on along with the streetlights has also been added, causing the stretch to glow at night and enhancing the city’s appearance.
Patil said the initiative had helped create civic awareness while also beautifying the city.
“We want our city to be clean and hygienic. We aspire to become the cleanest city in the country,” he added, recalling that Mysuru secured third place nationally in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024–25 last year.
