"They Carry Constitution In Their Pocket": Rajnath Singh Targets Rahul Gandhi

There have been attempts to black out the role of some in upholding the Constitution, said Union Minister Rajnath Singh as he began a debate in Lok Sabha on the Indian Constitution. "There have always been attempts by a particular party to hijack and appropriate the work of Constitution-making. Mr Speaker, all these things related to the history of Constitution Making in India have been hidden from the people," the Defence Minister said.

The debate in Lok Sabha marks the adoption of the Indian Constitution on November 26, 1949.

Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his speech, the Union Minister said that they keep the Constitution in their pockets while the BJP leaders carry it in their hearts.

"Like the Congress, we have never used the Constitution as a tool to achieve political gains. We have lived the Constitution. We have faced the conspiracies being hatched against the Constitution like a vigilant and true soldier. And have even endured great hardships to protect it," the minister said.

His mention of Veer Savarkar while remembering the architects of the Constitution sparked an uproar from the Opposition benches.

The speech also mentioned Justice HR Khanna, a former judge of the Supreme Court whose dissenting judgment during the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1976 had cost him the Chief Justice's post.

The BJP leader also referred to instances where he said judges had to pay a heavy cost for trying to "limit the powers of a dictatorial government within the constitutional limits".

"In 1973, ignoring all constitutional values, the then Congress government superseded Justice JM Shelat, KS Hegde, and AN Grover and appointed the fourth most senior judge as the Chief Justice of India," he said.