Congress thought Constitution private fiefdom, changed it 77 times: Shah

Speaking during the two-day debate on the ‘Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India’, Shah ripped into the Congress for its "appeasement politics" and claimed that the opposition party wanted to breach the 50 per cent quota limit to provide reservation to Muslims, which the BJP will never allow.

He also asked the Congress if it supported the Muslim personal law and alleged that the party never worked for the welfare of the backward classes.

Reforms by Congress vs BJP

In comparison, the BJP has already brought in a common civil code (Uniform Civil Code) in Uttarakhand and will implement it in all states.

Seeking to draw a distinction between the amendments to the Constitution brought by the BJP and the Congress, Shah claimed that the opposition party, when it was in power, sought to curtail rights, including the freedom of expression, and serve its interests and that of the "family", while the BJP acted keeping in mind public welfare and national interest.

Also read: Debate: Congress amended Constitution 77 times, says Amit Shah

He cited the introduction of GST, granting of statutory status to the OBC Commission and bringing women's reservation as examples.

Refers to insertion of Article 35A

The Home Minister also accused the Congress of being a "sore loser" for blaming EVMs for its defeat in the Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana.

He said it’s time the party gave up its canard against EVMs and shed its appeasement policy, dynastic politics and corruption if it wanted to return to power.

"In the last 75 years, the Congress played fraud in the name of the Constitution... They (Nehru-Gandhi family) considered not just the party as their personal property, but also treated the Constitution as their 'private fiefdom'," he alleged, referring to the insertion of Article 35A without parliamentary assent.

On Muslims and reservation

Criticising the Congress for bringing in reservation on the basis of religion in two states ruled by it, Shah termed it "unconstitutional".

"It is clearly stated in the Constitution that no reservation will be based on religion... They (Congress) do not want any welfare of OBCs, they want to give reservations to Muslims by increasing the limit of 50 per cent. But today, once again I say with responsibility in this House that as long as the BJP has even one MP, we will not allow reservation on the basis of religion," the home minister asserted.

He also accused the Congress of depriving Muslim women of justice and referred to the Shah Bano case and the 'triple talaq' issue.

Also read: Govt firm on no quota tinkering; Cong gave it to Muslims, weakened it: Shah

Shah claimed that the Congress could not bring a uniform civil code as it could not rise above appeasement politics.

‘Congress nurtured Article like illegitimate child’

He also noted that one needs an iron will to abrogate Article 370 which Prime Minister Narendra Modi did in his second term.

"Forget bloodshed, no one has the courage to pelt even a single stone," Shah said, claiming that Jammu and Kashmir has attracted investments to the tune of Rs 1.19 lakh crore in the last five years.

He also accused the Congress of nurturing Article 370 of the Constitution for 70 years in its lap like "an illegitimate child".

Accusing the Congress of being "anti-reservation", Shah said that in 1955, the Kaka Kalelkar Commission was formed to provide reservations to OBCs but the report was "nowhere to be found".

"Had the recommendations of the Kaka Kalelkar Commission been accepted, the Mandal Commission would not have been formed. In 1980, the recommendations of the Mandal Commission came out, but it was not implemented. It was implemented when the Congress was voted out in 1990," he said.

‘Congress made 77 amendments in 55 years’

Shah also alleged that the Congress amended the Constitution to remain in power.

He said the BJP governed for 16 years and made 22 amendments to the Constitution. In contrast, the Congress party ruled for 55 years and made 77 amendments, Shah noted.

He said that even before the first elections in the country, Jawaharlal Nehru effected the first Constitutional amendment to "curtail" the freedom of expression.

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Shah said that for 75 years, the Congress gave the slogan of 'gareebi hatao' but kept the people of the country poor.

"Your shop of appeasement has shut down now," he added.

Ambedkar and vote bank

Shah also claimed that Nehru opposed the name 'Bharat' for the country.

He also took a dig at the Congress for repeatedly taking the name of BR Ambedkar, saying had they taken God's name so many times they could have earned a place in heaven.

Shah said the BJP is happy that the Congress is taking Ambedkar’s name but the party should also speak about its real sentiments towards him.

Shah pointed out how Ambedkar had to resign from the first Cabinet citing his disagreement with the then Congress-led government’s policies including Article 370.

Also read: PM Modi uses Nehru to divert attention from his 'failures': Congress

The home minister also said most of the memorials of Ambedkar were built when the BJP came to power.

“How appropriate is it for you to use the name of a person for vote bank politics whom you used to oppose?” Shah asked Kharge.

‘Despicable lies’

Referring to the Emergency, Shah said, "Every child should be told about Emergency so that no one dares to bring it again." "They (Cong) did nothing except eulogising one family," he said.

Shah said one has to shed appeasement, dynastic politics and corruption to respect the Constitution.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi, he said Congress leaders made a despicable attempt to "tell lies" to people about the Constitution.

Also read: ‘Manusmriti’ and Savarkar question: Where Rahul scored in Constitution debate

The Constitution is not meant to be "waved in the air", "the Constitution is faith, the Constitution is devotion", he said.

In a swipe at the Congress leader, the home minister said that he had heard some talk of opening 'mohabbat ki dukaan' but love is not something to be sold in a shop or advertised.

(With inputs from agencies)