Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi referred to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s remark that there “is nothing Indian about our Constitution” to attack the BJP in Parliament on Saturday. Participating in the debate on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said Savarkar believed that the Constitution should be superseded by the Manusmriti, a Sanskrit text criticised by experts for its perceived caste bias. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi referred to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s remark that there “is nothing Indian about our Constitution” to attack the BJP in Parliament on Saturday. Participating in the debate on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said Savarkar believed that the Constitution should be superseded by the Manusmriti, a Sanskrit text criticised by experts for its perceived caste bias. Comparing the BJP to Mahabharat’s Dronacharya, Gandhi said just like he cut Eklavya’s thumb, the party was stifling the aspirations of today’s youth.
“By bringing in lateral entry into government jobs, you are chopping off the thumb of the youth, backward class people, poor. As many as 70 paper leaks took place. By doing this, you chopped off the thumb of the youth,” the Raebareli MP said.
The Congress MP’s attack comes amid a row over the Centre seeking applications for lateral entry into top posts in central ministries earlier this year. The Centre withdrew the ad after a backlash.
Raising the Gautam Adani issue, Gandhi accused the government of giving the businessman undue advantage that, in turn, was harming other small businesses in the country.
“Today, you lobbed tear gas shells on farmers outside Delhi, you unleashed lathi charge on them. Farmers are demanding MSP, a suitable price. But you facilitate profits to Adani, Ambani and cut off the thumb of farmers,” he said.
He also reiterated his caste census promise, saying a “new kind of development” would take place in India if it was carried out. “We will ensure the 50 per cent cap on reservation is removed,” Gandhi said.
