'Consensus More Important Than Majority Rule': PM Modi During Discussion on Constitution

"The sanctity of the Constitution, it is our responsibility. We must not forget that people give us power when we move together in consensus... Consensus is more important than majority rule," PM Modi said in Lok Sabha.

Arun Jaitley compared the 1975 Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government to Hitler's Germany. "After the Emergency, article 21 was made non-suspendable, which means we are far safer today. People who supported the Emergency are now talking about constitutionality. People lost the right to life during the Emergency," he said.

Countering the attack, Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said the BJP "has the time to talk about Hitler but not acknowledge (Jawaharlal) Nehru's contribution in the making of the Constitution."

He also accused the government of trying to re-write history. "Declaring November 26 Constitution Day is an attempt by the government to rewrite history. Where did this come from? Where will 26th January go as said by Dr Ambedkar," he asked.

The two-day special sitting is meant to celebrate Constitution Day, a tribute to BR Ambedkar, widely regarded as the architect of the Indian constitution. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned yesterday over the death of a lawmaker.

Yesterday, the lower house witnessed a row over Home Minister Rajnath Singh saying "secularism" is the "most misused" word in politics. "Because of the rampant misuse of the word (secularism), there have been instances of tension in the society,"  he said.

The Home Minister also said BR Ambedkar had never thought of putting the term 'secularism' in the Preamble as it was "in-built in the Indian system". The words were incorporated through an amendment in 1976. Rajnath Singh's argument that the word secular translates in Hindi not to "Dharam Nirpeksh" or non-religious but "Panth Nirpeksh" or non-sectarian, drew fire from the leaders of the Congress and other opposition parties.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi responded by saying people who never had faith in the Constitution were now swearing by it. "There cannot be a bigger joke" than those "who never had faith in the Constitution nor had they participated in its drafting, are now swearing by it and are laying claim to it," she said.

Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, provoked angry protests from BJP lawmakers when he said "any attempt to review the Constitution could result in ...consequences." Mr Kharge's exact words - a reference to violence in Hindi - were expunged by the Chair after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu strongly objected and called it an attempt to "threaten" the government. Words expunged in Parliament can't be reported.

A united opposition, out to corner the government on what it calls "growing intolerance", wants Parliament to adopt a resolution after a discussion. The government, focused on pushing crucial bills including the Goods and Services Tax bill, has said it is ready to discuss all issues "including that of the so-called intolerance though it falls in the domain of states."