Will not allow any attack on Constitution, my duty to protect it: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Asserting that the Constitution is the protective shield of the poor, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday urged people to pledge that "we will not allow any attack" on the Constitution and said he will be the first to stand up against any assault on it.
On Constitution Day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stressed the need to protect the fundamental principles of the Constitution such as justice, equality, freedom, mutual brotherhood, secularism, and socialism.
He also pledged to uphold the freedom of democracy and the Constitution for the unity and integrity of the country, for love and brotherhood, and for harmony.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "The Constitution of India is not just a book; it is a sacred promise made to every citizen of the country. A promise that no matter what religion or caste one belongs to, what region one comes from, what language one speaks, whether poor or rich, one will receive equality, respect, and justice."
The Constitution is the protective shield of the poor and the deprived, their strength, and the voice of every citizen, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.
As long as the Constitution is protected, the rights of every Indian are protected, Gandhi asserted.
"Let us pledge that we will not allow any attack on the Constitution. It is my duty to protect it, and I will be the first to stand up against any attack on it," he said and greeted people on Constitution Day.
Kharge also greeted citizens on Constitution Day and quoted BR Ambedkar to emphasise that the Constitution is a way of life.
"We remember the invaluable contributions of all the great leaders of the Constituent Assembly. Countless national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Maulana Azad, Rajendra Prasad, Sarojini Naidu, and Babasaheb Ambedkar played a historic role in building a new India," Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Today, what we need most is to protect the fundamental principles of the Constitution - justice, equality, freedom, mutual brotherhood, secularism, and socialism," he said.
"Today, on Constitution Day, we once again pledge to uphold the freedom of democracy and the Constitution for the unity and integrity of the country, for love and brotherhood, and for harmony," Kharge said.
The Congress on Tuesday had recalled that BR Ambedkar had moved the resolution in the Constituent Assembly 76 years ago for the formal adoption of the draft Constitution and claimed that Ambedkar as well as the Constitution were then subject to a "ferocious assault" by the RSS which has continued since.
Since 2015, Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Diwas, has been celebrated on November 26 to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949.
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Congress committed to social justice, says Karnataka CM; hits out at JD(S), BJP
BJP Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday asserted that the Congress remains firmly committed to social justice, both in principle and practice.
"The Congress is a party committed to social justice. This ideological commitment has been demonstrated not merely through words but through action," the CM said in a statement, underlining that the party has consistently translated its philosophy into governance.
He said his recent article marking Social Justice Day has sparked debate.
Defending the piece, he said: "An article I wrote for a newspaper as part of Social Justice Day celebrations has sparked multifaceted debate in the state’s political circles. If water remains stagnant, it turns into slush; if it flows, it becomes clearer."
"The social system is similar—if it does not remain rigid and instead becomes dynamic, it transforms in a people-centric manner. From this perspective, I welcome the discussion surrounding my article," he added.
Stating that his commitment to social justice is longstanding, the CM said, "Whether in power or out of it, my stand in favour of social justice has remained unwavering. I have greater clarity about the caste system among us than the politicians criticising me."
"I am prepared for a public debate on this issue," Siddaramaiah added.
Responding to criticism from Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy, he said, "I have taken his allegation—that I have ‘dragged caste into the picture for the sake of a chair’—lightly."
Launching a sharp attack on JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his family, Siddaramaiah added, "Kumaraswamy and his revered father Deve Gowda are certainly not casteists; they are against their own caste. More importantly, they are family-centric. For them, caste is merely a vote bank."
He alleged that past, present, and future top JD(S) leaders would always be members of the Gowda family, questioning how many Vokkaliga leaders the party had nurtured during Deve Gowda’s long political career.
The CM maintained that it was the Congress that had identified and politically groomed Vokkaliga leaders.
"From Kengal Hanumanthaiah to S M Krishna, hundreds of Vokkaliga leaders have been nurtured. If Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Kadidal Manjappa, and S M Krishna became chief ministers, it was because of the Congress," he said, adding that several prominent Vokkaliga leaders are currently in the party.
"If one day anyone other than a member of Deve Gowda’s family becomes chief minister, it will be through the Congress," he noted.
Highlighting inclusivity, Siddaramaiah said the Congress has enabled leaders from Vokkaliga, Lingayat, and backward communities to become chief ministers in Karnataka, and expressed gratitude to party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for giving him a second term.
He added that leaders from the Dalit community who rise to the CM's post do so on merit, not merely caste. "I can confidently say that if someone from the Dalit community becomes chief minister in the future, it will be possible only through the Congress,” he reiterated.
He questioned whether the JD(S) or the BJP in the state is capable of fostering such aspirations. "This is the difference between the Congress, the BJP and JD(S). Therefore, I urge those accusing me of practising caste politics to introspect," the CM said.
