New Delhi [India], November 26 : Marking the Constitution Day, Congress MP and General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Centre, alleging subversion of Constitutional principles.
Invoking India's first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad and last Governor-General C Rajagopalachari, Ramesh lauded the Constitution makers, including former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and head of the drafting committee Dr BR Ambedkar.
The Congress leader noted that the RSS played no role in the drafting of the Constitution, and alleged that presently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are "subverting" the Constitution.
In an X post, Jairam Ramesh wrote, "...All part of the history of Constitution making in which the RSS had no role whatsoever. In fact, its role after the Constitution was adopted was to attack and undermine it, a role taken forward by the present PM and HM who have been subverting Constitutional principles, provisions, and practices in a calculated manner."
The Congress MP recalled Dr Rajendra Prasad's speech at a Constituent Assembly meeting on November 26, 1949, the day the Constitution was formally adopted.
Ramesh said, "On Saturday, Nov 26 1949, the Constituent Assembly met at 10 AM with Dr. Rajendra Prasad in the Chair. Before formally putting the motion for the adoption of the draft Constitution of India that had been moved by Dr. Ambedkar the previous day to the vote, Dr Rajendra Prasad made his remarks."
"In his speech explaining the background to and highlights of the Draft that was soon to be adopted, Dr. Rajendra Prasad recalled: 'The method which the Constituent Assembly adopted in connection with the Constitution was first to lay down its 'terms of reference' as it were in the form of an Objectives Resolution which was moved by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (on Dec 13 1946) in an inspiring speech and which constitutes now the Preamble to our Constitution. It then proceeded to appoint a number of committees to deal with different aspects of the Constitutional problem. Dr. Ambedkar mentioned the names of these Committees. Several of these had as their Chairman Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru or Sardar Patel to whom thus goes the credit for the fundamentals of our Constitution," the Congress MP added.
"Dr. Rajendra Prasad ended his speech thus:"....I have realised as nobody else could have, with what zeal and devotion the members of the Drafting Committee and especially its Chairman Dr. Ambedkar, in spite of his indifferent health, have worked. We could never make a decision which was or could be ever so right as when we put him on the Drafting Committee and made him its Chairman. He has not only justified his selection but has added lustre to the work he has done'," the X post added.
Invoking C Rajagopalachari's address in Assam, Jairam Ramesh highlighted Congress' role in drafting the Constitution.
"Just as the Constituent Assembly was adopting the Constitution, Governor-General of India C. Rajagopalachari was in Guwahati replying to the address of welcome from the people of Assam. In the course of his brief remarks, Rajaji reminisced warmly: 'Dr. Ambedkar's leading part in steering, on behalf of the Indian National Congress, the Constitution of Independent India is the greatest triumph of non-violence...Regarding this entrustment of responsibility to Dr. Ambedkar to the end of my days I shall proudly cherish the memory of my own initiative in the matter when I was not Governor-General, which received the most generous and most large-hearted and immediate acceptance by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," Ramesh added.
On November 26, 1949, the Indian Constituent Assembly formally adopted the Constitution, which came into effect on January 26, 1950. The day is marked by the Central government's celebration of the principles of democracy, justice, and equality.
Meanwhile, Congress has directed all its state units to observe November 26 as 'Samvidhan Bachao Divas' at Pradesh Congress Committees (PCC) offices and district headquarters across the country.