The Congress on Sunday alerted the people against the dangers of diluting the Constitution, doing so probably for the first time since the document’s adoption in 1950 and striking a sombre mood rather than the celebratory tone usually associated with Republic Day.
Senior Congress leaders publicly read out the Preamble to the Constitution in Delhi, repeating what the party had done at Raj Ghat a few days ago in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Similar events were held across the country.
The Congress also got a copy of the Constitution dispatched by Amazon to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a blunt message that he had forgotten the principles of the Constitution.
Opposition parties and a large number of citizens across the country view the new citizenship act and the proposed countrywide National Register of Citizens as discriminatory and have been demanding their withdrawal. The protests have been continuing for well over a month.
The next big protest will happen on January 30, the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The programmes are being finalised.
Instead of issuing the customary Republic Day wishes, the Congress posted grim messages of caution on its website.
“A lesson the BJP has failed to understand is that all persons no matter creed, caste or gender are guaranteed equality before the law under Article 14 of the Constitution. It is this article that is completely violated by the Citizenship Amendment Act,” one of the messages said.
Another said: “It is important to remember that it is enshrined in our Constitution that all persons are protected from discrimination of any form. Therefore, any attempt to draft laws based on discrimination (is) unconstitutional.”
Many senior Congress leaders too posted messages highlighting the threats to the Constitution.
Former home minister P. Chidambaram tweeted: “Happy Republic Day. The soul of the Constitution lies in the freedoms guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution. These freedoms were given by the people unto themselves. No government can take them away.”
Chidambaram said: “Remember that today as we think of the 70 lakh people of the Kashmir valley whose freedoms have been taken away, including those in custody for over six months. Without charges….
“As long as freedoms are denied to any part of the people, the whole of the population is denied freedom. As we raise the flag today, let us also raise the level of protest.”
Ahmed Patel tweeted: “The very foundations of our Republic are facing an unprecedented assault from those mandated to defend it.”
Congress president Sonia Gandhi had set the tone on Saturday night by appealing to every Indian to save the Constitution from systematic attacks by the government.
