Amit Shah Accuses Congress of Treating Constitution as a Private Fiefdom of One Family

Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, accusing it of treating the Constitution as a personal asset. He alleged that the party engaged in appeasement politics and attempted to breach the 50% reservation limit for Muslims, which the BJP opposes. Shah questioned Congress's support for Muslim personal law and claimed it neglected backward classes' welfare.

Shah highlighted differences between BJP and Congress amendments to the Constitution. He claimed Congress curtailed rights like freedom of expression for self-interest, while BJP prioritised public welfare. He cited GST introduction, OBC Commission's statutory status, and women's reservation as examples of BJP's focus on national interest.

Constitutional Amendments and Political Criticism

Shah accused Congress of blaming EVMs for its electoral defeats in Maharashtra and Haryana. He advised the party to abandon its criticism of EVMs, appeasement policies, dynastic politics, and corruption if it seeks to regain power. He also criticised Congress for inserting Article 35A without parliamentary approval.

The minister condemned Congress's religious-based reservations in two states, calling them 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," he stated.

Uniform Civil Code and Article 370

Shah asserted that BJP has implemented a Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand and plans to extend it nationwide. He accused Congress of failing to introduce such a code due to appeasement politics. Shah praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for abrogating Article 370, claiming it brought significant investment to Jammu and Kashmir.

He alleged that Congress treated Article 370 as an illegitimate child for 70 years. Shah criticised Congress for being anti-reservation, citing the Kaka Kalelkar Commission's unimplemented recommendations. He noted that the Mandal Commission's suggestions were only enacted after Congress lost power in 1990.

Historical Context and Ambedkar's Legacy

Shah accused Congress of amending the Constitution to maintain power. He compared BJP's 22 amendments over 16 years with Congress's 77 amendments during its 55-year rule. Shah mentioned Jawaharlal Nehru's first Constitutional amendment before India's initial elections to restrict freedom of expression.

He criticised Congress for keeping people poor despite its "gareebi hatao" slogan over 75 years. Shah claimed Nehru opposed naming India as Bharat and mocked Congress for frequently invoking BR Ambedkar's name without genuine respect. He noted Ambedkar resigned from the first Cabinet due to disagreements with Congress policies like Article 370.

Emergency Memories and Political Allegations

Shah urged educating children about the Emergency to prevent its recurrence. "They Cong did nothing except eulogising one family," he remarked. Shah emphasised shedding appeasement, dynastic politics, and corruption to honour the Constitution.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Shah accused Congress leaders of misleading people about the Constitution. "The Constitution is not meant to be waved in the air, the Constitution is faith, the Constitution is devotion," he said. Criticising Gandhi further, Shah remarked that love cannot be sold or advertised like a product.

The home minister concluded by questioning how appropriate it was for Congress to use Ambedkar's name for political gain when they previously opposed him. He highlighted that most Ambedkar memorials were built under BJP governance.