The Congress and several Opposition parties on Friday boycotted the Constitution Day event in the Central Hall of Parliament to convey that the Constitution is being undermined during the current BJP regime.
Besides the Congress, several other parties, including the Left, TMC, NCP, DMK, Shiv Sena, IUML, RSP, and the RJD, skipped the event.
On the issue of not participating in the event of Constitution Day, Congress Rajya Sabha member Anand Sharma said the protest was against the “authoritarian” functioning of the BJP Government as laws are enacted bypassing Parliamentary scrutiny and Parliamentary democracy is insulted.
“Our protest today is based on fundamental principles. We have protested to remind the country that the Constitution is not being respected, the Constitution is being undermined, Parliamentary democracy is being undermined and insulted with the enactment of laws bypassing scrutiny which is creating enormous problems because each law enacted by Parliament impacts the masses,” Sharma said at AICC Press conference.
Hitting back at the Prime Minister, Sharma said Modi wanted to change history itself and obliterate the memory of those who sacrificed for the freedom of the country. “The BJP had no role in the freedom struggle which Mahatma Gandhi led. All leaders were Congressmen. The BJP is seeking out these leaders. They know their ancestors had no role in the freedom struggle. Rather, they were complicit with the British who crushed the freedom movement,” he said.
“Had democracy been in danger, had Constitution not been respected, Modi could not have become PM in 2014 through a free and fair election...(It was) only because democracy had thrived and flourished in India,” he said. The Congress leader said the criticism of the Opposition by the Prime Minister and his colleagues is unwarranted.
Noting that while the Congress honours the Constitution and respects the President, he said non-inclusion of leaders of Opposition parties and a mere formal invite to sit in the event is not acceptable.
Meanwhile, Congress on Friday issued a three-line whip to its Parliamentarians asking them to be present in both houses of Parliament when a bill to repeal three farm laws will be brought on the first day of the Winter Session on Monday. Leaders of various Opposition parties will also meet in the morning of November 29 to ensure unity and synergy among themselves during the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.
“Some very important issues will be taken up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, November 29, 2021. All members of the Congress party in the Rajya Sabha are requested to kindly remain present in the House from 11 a.m onwards till the adjournment of the house on Monday, November 29, 2021, without fail and support the party stand,” said the whip issued by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh to the party members in the Rajya Sabha.
A similar whip was issued for the Lok Sabha MPs of the Congress by party leader K Suresh. The Opposition party has also asked its MPs to support its view and remain present in Parliament from 11 a.m onwards.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has also written to the leaders of various political parties, urging them to participate in a meeting of Opposition parties on Monday to draw synergy in the Opposition strategy in Parliament. The Winter Session of Parliament begins on November 29 and the Government will table a bill to repeal the three farm laws.
