Samvidhan showdown in LS: BJP reminds LoP Rahul of 1975 Emergency to blunt Cong attack

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) The Day 2 debate on 75 years of the Constitution's adoption witnessed fresh fireworks in the Lok Sabha, with the Congress and BJP members engaging in fierce verbal exchanges on Saturday.  

Following Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi’s volley of charges, BJP MP Anurag Thakur hit back at the Congress by reminding it of the 'past misdeeds' during late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s regime.

The BJP MP also taunted LoP Gandhi over flaunting a copy of the Constitution and claimed that the latter himself remains uninformed and clueless about the nitty-gritty of the sacred book.

“There are some who carry the Samvidhaan (Constitution) in their pockets but can’t tell the numbers of pages,” he said in a searing jibe at the LoP.

He said that the Congress makes tall claims about the Constitution and safeguarding its spirit but its own government led by late PM Indira Gandhi murdered democracy by imposing Emergency.

Earlier, LoP Gandhi led the Opposition's charge in the Lok Sabha, seeking to corner the government on multiple fronts including unemployment, deprivation of backward communities over reservations and more.

Responding to his charges, the BJP lawmaker also cited ‘preface and foreword’ from the Constitution book and said that it was scripted by the most crafted and finest talents of the country and the Congress was trying to demean them.

He said that it was the power of the Constitution that compelled the then PM Indira Gandhi to end the Emergency.

“Congress MP says that the government is fooling the youth and cutting opportunities for them. I want to say that it was the Congress government under which the brutal massacre of the Sikhs took place,” said Thakur, amid desk thumping by the Treasury Benches.

He further asked the Congress members to stop hiding behind the Constitution over its failures and refrain from 'misguiding and misleading' the public with its canards and lies.

The debate on 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution will conclude today, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement.

The first day of the debate saw heated exchanges with Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi leading the Congress charge and Defence Minister deflating the claims.

The second day of the debate started with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju showing the mirror to the Congress, over its claims of championing the spirit of democracy.