New Delhi [India], November 26 : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday extended his greetings to the country on 'Samvidhan Diwas' (Constitution Day), while also warning that the very idea of India, which based on equality, fraternity, freedom, fraternity and other such ideas "is in danger" because the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are looking to destroy the country.
Talking about the history of RSS, Kharge said that the organisation had always been against the constitution, and looked to serve the interests of the British, but right now, while in power they were forced to co-opt the document as their own.
"When this Constitution was implemented then organisations like RSS used to say openly that the Constitution is based on western values, and their ideal is actually manusmriti. History is witness that they (RSS) were against the Constitution, and today the ones who believe more in Manusmriti than in the Constitution were forced to co-opt the Constitution as their own when they came to power," the Congress president said.
Praising the contributions of the framers of the Constitution, Kharge told ANI, "Babasaheb Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad, Pandit Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, did the work for the nation, that is why the country is progressing, not because of them (BJP-RSS). I have read his letter, three-page letter, he (PM Modi) said 'a poor man like me', but why was he not saying that before? Now that we started raising our voices in Parliament then this started he is a poor man's son. I am happy that a businessman is considering himself a poor man's son, and a railway canteen owner calls himself chaiwala, that is ok, but the Constitution is made for everyone."
"Today I wish everyone on Constitution Day. Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, together with members of the Constituent assembly created the Constitution in which democracy is supreme. Justice, equality, freedom, fraternity, secularism, and socialism have become the identity of the India, but today that identity is in danger," he added.
Kharge further hit out at the RSS for claiming that the Constitution is "based on western values", while also opposing the national flag, along with allegedly actively helping the Britishers during colonial rule. The RSS even opposed BR Ambedkar by burning his effigies in New Delhi, according to Kharge.
"On December 11, 1948, they did a grand event at Ramlila Maidan, and burned an effigy of BR Ambedkar. RSS not only opposed the national flag and the Constitution, but during the British rule, when the freedom army was in jail, then RSS worked together with British. That is the same RSS which Modi ji has praised while in Red Fort," he said.
Mentioning the first ban of the RSS, Kharge recalled that the Organiser magazine had openly come out against the Constitution, with RSS sarsanghchalak MS Gowalkar openly speaking against the Constitution.
"After assassination of Gandhi ji, January 30, 1948 was banned for the first time by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Organiser (magazine) opposed the Constitution on November 1950. RSS pramukh Gowalkar wrote after adoption of constitution: "but in our constitution there is no mention of unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu's laws were written long before Icarius of Sparta or Soltan of Persia. To this day, his laws have enunciated in the Manusmriti the admiration of the world, illicit, spontaneous, obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits that means nothing" - that is what he (Gowalkar) said," Kharge said.
Training his criticism towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said that while the PM lectures people about colonisation, it was actually the RSS which served the British and wanted to live in that slavery.
"Today Modi ji is lecturing us on the dangers of colonization, and these are the same people who did not support the public for even a minute during the freedom struggle. In fact, they served the Britishers, and wanted to live in that slavery too. The people of the country know who is harming the institution of the country. The people of BJP-RSS are looking to destroy the Constitution that is why the respect they are giving the Constitution is all deceit and lies, and they are only doing this to fool people," he said.
November 26 is celebrated every year as 'Samvidhan Diwas' marking the same day in the year 1950 when the supreme legal document of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly.