PM Modi hasn't understood Constitution is not Sangh rule book: Priyanka Gandhi in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Delivering her debut speech in Parliament, newly-elected MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that he remains unmoved by the violent incidents in Sambhal, Hathras and Manipur and it appears that he does not understand that the Constitution is not 'Sangh ka Vidhan' (RSS' law).

In her 32-minute opening speech from the Opposition benches, Priyanka also accused the Modi government of handing over “everything” to one person Gautam Adani while perpetrating an atmosphere of fear through stifling of free speech, curbing dissent, targeting opposition leaders and using money power to bring down elected governments.

She said the BJP has realised that the talk of changing the Constitution will not work in the country and the Lok Sabha results have forced them to talk about the Constitution and Caste Census, pet themes of the Congress. However, she said the proof of their seriousness on the issue could be gauged from responses like it would steal buffalo and mangalsutra.

With her brother Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, sitting in the front row, and family, including mother Sonia Gandhi, in visitor's gallery, the Wayanad MP said the Constitution is a protective shield of justice, unity and freedom of expression but the BJP-led government has made “every effort to break it in the past 10 years”.

“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. Shayad samaj nahin paaye ki Bharat ka Samvidhan, Sangh ka Vidhan Nahi Hai (Perhaps he has not understood this is the Constitution of India, and not the law of the Sangh),” she said.

She said the Constitution promises social, economic and political justice and this “promise is a shield, the work of breaking which has already begun. Through lateral entry and privatisation, this government is working to weaken reservation. If these results had not come in the Lok Sabha, they would have also started the work of changing the Constitution.”

Insisting that the protective shield of economic justice is being broken, she said all laws are being made for big industrialists while referring to alleged favours given to Adani in Himachal Pradesh and other places.

“The country is seeing that to save one person, 142 crore people are being denied rights...There was always a belief in people that if nothing else, the Constitution will protect them, but today the common people are getting the impression that the government is running only for the profits of Adani,” she said.

Seeking to turn the tables on BJP's criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru and Emergency under Indira Gandhi, she counted the initiatives taken by them, including setting up PSUs and bank nationalisation, and said the BJP should tell what they have done instead of asking what Nehru has done. "Is everything the responsibility of Nehru?" she asked.

“Sometimes you hesitate to take the name (Nehru) and sometimes his name is used to save yourself. He created HAL, BHEL, SAIL, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, Railways, IIT, IIM, Oil Refineries and many PSUs. His name can be erased from books, his name can be erased from speeches, but the role he played for the freedom of this country and for the construction of this country can never be erased from this country,” she said.

Priyanka also asked the BJP to learn from 1975 when Indira imposed Emergency and apologise for the mistakes the BJP has committed. She challenged them to hold elections on ballot paper, without mentioning the claims on manipulation of EVMs.