A special two-day discussion to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution commenced in the Lok Sabha on Friday with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh initiating the debate.
He began his speech by paying tributes to the martyrs of the 2021 Parliament terror attack.
The Defence Minister hailed the Constitution and termed it as a roadmap to keep the country united, democratic and self-reliant.
"We the people of India adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949…I heartily congratulate this House and all the citizens of the country on the occasion of the completion of 75 years of adoption of the Constitution… I can say that our Constitution paves the way for nation building by touching all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life…"
He said the Opposition attempted to give it "political colour".
The Constitution of India is a moral compass for every citizen and provides a strong sense of identity to every individual," Singh said.
He added, "Many try to paint it as a gift of the colonial rule, and a collation of the good of many Constitutions of the Western civilisations.
The role of many who drafted the Constitution was not heard. It came out as a child born of the Independence movement's sacred fire, its growth fed through the blood of soldiers," Singh said.
The Defence Minister said that many were not associated with the committee of drafting people but they were very considerable contributors to the Constitution he said. Among them named were Madan Mohan Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai Bhagat Singh, and Veer Savarkar.
He said the BJP-led Centre has over the years worked to protect the government and several key schemes have been developed keeping in mind the important elements of the Constitution.
The Minister attacked the Opposition saying it has insulted the Constitution on many occasions. Without naming Congress, he said that one party has worked to hijack the Constitution.
Our Constitution is a well-crafted and robust framework that touches every aspect of our social, political, and cultural lives. It acts as a guiding force in the construction of the nation, ensuring cooperative federalism and national unity. It empowers the legislature, executive, and judiciary to work together for the welfare of the people of India," he said.
The Constitution remains a roadmap for making India a model nation. However, in recent years, attempts have been made to create the perception that the Constitution is the legacy of a particular political party. Such claims undermine the collective efforts of the Constituent Assembly and the sacrifices of countless individuals who contributed to its creation…," said the Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to sum up the debate on the evening of December 14.
The most prominent speaker on Friday will be Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who will make her debut speech.
Some of the notable members from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are likely to participate in the debate, including H.D. Kumaraswamy, Srikant Shinde, Shambhavi Chaudhary, Rajkumar Sangwan, Jiten Ram Manjhi, Anupriya Patel, and Rajiv Ranjan Singh.
These are likely to include opposition leaders, such as DMK's T.R. Balu and A. Raja, besides Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra.
Both the BJP and Congress have issued a three-line whip to ensure that its members are present in the House during this session.
This aspect of the Constitution will once again form part of a debate in the Rajya Sabha on Monday and Tuesday, when Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to chair.
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