The two-day debate in the Lok Sabha to celebrate the 75th year of the Constitution was kicked off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. It was a scathing retelling of how the Congress party disrespected the Constitution from the time the first amendment was brought in. It was based on facts and personal experience.
Interestingly, the debate on behalf of the Congress was initiated by none other than parliamentary newbie Priyanka Vadra Gandhi. With this, a fresh dimension has been added to the political scenario. Although she has been part of Congress politics for over a decade, this grand opening, as it were, may be part of a back-up plan in case the Rahul Gandhi option continues to lose its lustre. The manner in which she has accelerated past many senior Congress leaders who have put in many more years in the party’s service may, however, lead to resentment among them. While she may be presented as a shining new star, it must not be forgotten that she too comes with considerable baggage. There is a possibility of factions collecting around both Gandhis to further their influence, which could lead to a power struggle, but that’s in the future.
While the debate is greatly politicised, it will be good education for all those who watch it. There are many aspects of how the Constitution came into being that are not common knowledge but crucial to how it came about. Many of those who contributed to its making have been forgotten and it is a good time to remember them. The content of the debate, suitably edited, can be shown to school and college students in parts to instill greater awareness of why and how the Constitution matters. In the age of social media, it will anyway be available on YouTube, etc.
Considering the fact that a major plank of the Congress in recent times has been the allegation that the Constitution is under threat from the present dispensation, the debate will reveal the understanding of all parties in this regard. Prime Minister Modi will conclude the debate on the second day, which would be a summing up of his government’s approach on the subject. It must not be forgotten that it was early in his first term in 2015 that 26 November began to be celebrated as Constitution Day.
For once, there was order in the Lok Sabha as both sides of the House agreed on the debate. It was in strake contrast to events in the Rajya Sabha on the same day.
