‘Left no stone unturned...’: PM Modi slams Congress for repeatedly wounding Constitution after ‘tasting blood’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 14 said that while his government has consistently worked to strengthen the Constitution, the Congress, after ‘tasting blood’ has repeatedly undermined it.  

In his response to a two-day debate in the Lok Sabha on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution’s adoption, Modi criticised previous Congress governments for sowing “poisonous” seeds of division, exacerbating the country’s contradictions and damaging its unity.  

Since taking office in 2014, his government's policies and decisions have been designed to promote India’s unity and strength, aligned with the Constitution’s vision, Modi said in his address in the Lok Sabha. 

Taking aim at the Nehru-Gandhi family, he accused them of doing everything in their power to harm the Constitution, citing their continuous challenges to the document’s integrity. Modi emphasised that he was specifically targeting the family due to their prolonged rule, with its members in power for 55 years. 

He said Congress, having “tasted blood”, continuously attacked the Constitution, while referring to key decisions made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi during their tenures as prime ministers. Modi also directed his criticism at the next generation on the Congress family hinting at Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. 

Modi emphasised that leaders like him could only rise to their positions thanks to the Constitution. He recalled his own commitment to its values, citing a symbolic gesture during his tenure as Gujarat’s chief minister when he celebrated the Constitution’s 60th year by placing a copy on an elephant and walking barefoot beneath it. 

Turning to historical grievances, Modi accused Nehru of amending the Constitution to curtail freedom of expression, while Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling that annulled her election as an MP. Modi described her actions as an attempt to protect her political position, even altering the Constitution to shield the President, Vice President, and herself from legal challenges. He called this period a time when democracy was stifled and the judiciary was silenced. 

Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister criticised an “arrogant” individual who tore up a Cabinet decision during the tenure of the Congress-led UPA government under Manmohan Singh. He also pointed out that the National Advisory Council, led by Sonia Gandhi, was given precedence over the Cabinet. 

Modi accused Congress of seeking to divide the country for electoral gain, noting that despite the Constitution’s decision to disallow reservations based on religion to preserve unity, Congress pushed for such measures to appease its vote bank, violating the constitutional spirit. In contrast, Modi’s government repealed Article 370 to unify Jammu and Kashmir and introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to establish a “one nation, one tax” system. 

Reflecting on India’s journey since the Constitution’s adoption, Modi called it “extraordinary”, stressing that the country’s ancient democratic traditions had been a global inspiration. He asserted that India is not only the world’s largest democracy but also the “mother of democracy”. 

Modi reiterated India’s resolve to become a developed nation by 2047, emphasizing that national unity is key to achieving this goal. “Our Constitution is the foundation of our unity,” he said. 

Praising the Constitution’s framers, Modi highlighted their understanding that India was not born in 1947 but had long-held democratic roots. He lauded the inclusion of women’s voting rights and pointed to India’s current trajectory of women-led development. The unanimous passage of the law reserving seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies was another achievement he applauded. 

(With inputs from PTI)