New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Constitution is every Indian's greatest weapon and shield as his party asserted that its resolve to protect the Constitution is as "strong as a rock".

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who unfurled the national flag on India's 77th Republic Day, said the need of the hour is to stand firm in defending the principles and spirit of our Constitution.

"Justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity are the enduring values bequeathed to us by our founding fathers, and it is our sacred duty to protect them. We must be prepared to make every necessary sacrifice to safeguard the Constitution," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

"This will be our true tribute to the sacrifices of our ancestors," he said. "Once again, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on this glorious occasion of Republic Day."

Gandhi also extended greetings to all citizens on Republic Day.

"Our Constitution is the greatest weapon of every Indian, it is our voice, the shield protecting our rights. Our republic stands on this strong foundation, and it will be strengthened only through equality and harmony," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Protecting the Constitution is protecting the Indian Republi , it is the truest tribute to the sacrifices of our freedom fighters. Jai Hind! Jai Samvidhan!" said the Leader of Opposition who attended the Republic Day parade at the Kartavya Path.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also greeted citizens on Republic Day.

"Today, our Constitution came into effect, guaranteeing every Indian the values ‹of liberty, equality, justice, and fraternity. Our Constitution is the shield that protects all 140 crore Indians. Our resolve to protect it is as strong as a rock. Long live the Constitution! Jai Hind!" she said in a post in Hindi on X.

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Jammu (PTI): A portion of a small bridge collapsed in the Bantalab area on the outskirts of Jammu city on Friday, trapping at least three to four labourers under the debris, while one injured worker was rescued, official sources said.

Authorities have closed the road link following the collapse of the portion of the bridge.

The incident occurred when labourers were carrying out repair work on a retaining wall near the bridge that was damaged in last year's flash floods, the sources said.

According to the sources, a section of the bridge suddenly gave way, burying workers engaged at the site under the rubble.

Police, Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams launched rescue operations to extricate those buried under the debris. They pulled out one injured labourer and shifted him to a hospital, the sources said.

Family members of the labourers present at the site said around six workers engaged at the site at the time of the incident came under the debris when the structure collapsed. The family members said while two of the labourers managed to escape, four got trapped.

The sources said those trapped included the husband of a woman labourer, a mason, an unmarried labourer and a relative of the contractor.

There was no official confirmation on the exact number of persons trapped under the debris till the filing of this report.

The rescue operations are ongoing.