NEW DELHI: Newly elected MP from Kerala’s Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi, on Friday gave her first address in Parliament during the debate on the Constitution. Priyanka Gandhi‘s maiden speech in the House largely revolved around Constitution, reservation and a push for a nationwide caste census.
In the debate that marked the 75th anniversary of the Constitution’s adoption, the first-time parliamentarian started off by invoking the father of Constitution Babasaheb Ambedkar to highlight his contribution.
The Congress leader then sought to corner the BJP-led NDA government, saying the Constitution is a ‘suraksha kavach (protective shield)‘ but the “ruling party has made all attempts to break it”. Gandhi pointed to the reduced numbers of the BJP in Lok Sabha elections as forcing them to talk about the Constitution more often. Further she said, had the Lok Sabha elections not gone the way it did, BJP would have started working on changing the Constitution.
Gandhi also hit out at PM Modi, saying the PM doesn’t understand “Bharat ka Samvidhan” but “Sangh ka Vidhan”.
Gandhi also framed the Lateral entry scheme pushed by the government, which is currently under a JPC deliberation, as an attempt by the government to weaken reservations in the country. Reiterating her party’s stance, Priyanka Gandhi pressed on the need for a nationwide caste census to know the “condition of everyone and policies be made accordingly.”
“When the entire opposition called for a caste-based census, they talked about cattle and ‘mangalsutra’ getting stolen,” she added.
Priyanka Gandhi also raked up the Adani issue to hit out at the government, saying it was not ready to debate the US allegation against the industrialist in the House. Gandhi further accused the Modi government of favoring big business intrests over common people and said the ruling dispensation had sold everything to them. “Country is watching 1.4 billion people being ignored to save one person with all wealth, ports, roads, mines being given to him,” she charged.
Further, Gandhi suggested holding a ballot to resolve ongoing political debates, saying, “Conduct elections through a ballot, and the truth will be revealed.”
Here are top quotes from Priyanka Gandhi’s speech:
- Constitution gave people strength to recognise they have right to justice and are capable of raising voice against government.
- Our Independence struggle was a unique one in the world as it was based on truth, non-violence
- A few people from the bereaved families of Sambhal had come to meet us. There were two children among them – Adnan and Uzair. One of them was my son’s age and the other was younger, 17 years of age. Their father was a tailor. The tailor had just one dream – that he would get his children educated, one son would become a doctor and the other too would be successful. The Police shot their father dead. The 17-year-old Adnan told me that he would grow up to be a doctor and realise his father’s dream. This dream and hope was instilled in his heart by the Constitution of India
- Government trying to weaken reservation through lateral entry, privatisation
- Today, people of the country are demanding that there be a caste census. Colleague of the ruling side mentioned this, the mention is also being made only because of these results in the Lok Sabha elections. The caste census is essential so that we know the condition of everyone and policies can be made accordingly
- It is people’s demand that caste census is conducted
- If not for Lok Sabha poll results, they (BJP) would have begun changing Constitution
- BJP talks about past, they should talk what they are doing now; is Nehru responsible for everything
- Nehru’s name can be erased from books and speeches but not his role in Independence struggle, nation-building
- Through lateral entry and privatisation, this government is trying to weaken reservation. Had these not been the results of Lok Sabha elections, they would have also started working on changing the Constitution. The truth is that they are repeatedly speaking about Constitution because in these elections they have come to know that the people of this country will keep the Constitution of this country safe. Winning while almost losing these elections, they have realised that the discussions about changing the Constitution won’t work in this country
- While our Constitution gave ‘protective shield’ of unity, seeds of discord and hatred being sown now
- Seems PM Modi hasn’t understood that it is ‘Bharat ka Samvidhan’ not ‘Sangh ka Vidhan’
BJP cannot maintain unity, we saw it in Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh) and Manipur; they have created an atmosphere of fear - The one, whose name you sometimes hesitate in speaking out, while speaking fluently at other times to use it to save yourself – he set up HAL, BHEL, SAIL, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, Railways, IIT, IIM, Oil Refineries and several PSUs. His name can be erased from books, can be erased from speeches. But his role in the freedom of this nation, in building this nation can never be erased from this nation
