Bharat ka Samvidhan, not Sangh ka Vidhan: Priyanka targets PM in debut Parl speech

NEW DELHI: Attacking the government in her first speech in Lok Sabha, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said those in BJP mostly talked about the past but should tell the country what they were doing now. “What is your responsibility? Or does all the responsibility lie with Jawaharlal Nehru ji?” she asked in a swipe at BJP for its repeated criticism of India’s first PM.

Taking on defence minister Rajnath Singh who reminded Congress of its alleged attempts to abuse the Constitution on several occasions, she said, “Our Constitution laid the foundation of economic justice, distributing land to farmers, the poor and the needy. Whose name is often used by them (BJP) to save themselves… he (Nehru) created many PSUs and institutions such as HAL, Bhel, Sail, Gail, ONGC, NTPC, railways, IITs, IIMs. “His (Nehru’s) name can be erased from the books, but his role in the independence struggle and nation-building can never be erased from this country.”

Taking aim at PM Narendra Modi, Priyanka said, “The Prime Minister touches his forehead to the Constitution but when there are cries for justice from Sambhal, Hathras and Manipur, there is not a wrinkle on his forehead. It seems PM Modi hasn’t understood that it is ‘Bharat ka Samvidhan’ (Constitution of India), not ‘Sangh ka Vidhan’ (RSS’s manual).” She said the BJP-headed govt had made every effort to break the “suraksha kavach” (protective shield) of justice, unity and freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

The newly elected Wayanad MP slammed the govt on several fronts, including “growing monopoly” of the Adani group, atrocities on women and incidents of violence in Sambhal and Manipur. She also pitched for a nationwide caste census. Asked about her speech, Priyanka’s brother and LoP Rahul Gandhi later said, ” Better than my maiden speech, let us put it like that.” SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who spoke after Priyanka, reiterated his call for a caste survey.

Courtesy : TOI

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