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BJP National President and Union Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda participated in the discussion on the glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India on 17 December in Rajya Sabha and termed the celebration of the completion of the 75 years of the Constitution as a way to strengthen our dedication and commitment to the Constitution. While speaking, he thanked the Parliament for repealing Article 370 on 5th August 2019 and making Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India. We are publishing the synopsis of the discussion:
In a few days we will see the completion of 75 years of our Republic. This celebration in a way strengthens our dedication to the Constitution, our commitment to the Constitution. We all know that India is the largest democracy, but it is also the mother of all democracies. Democracy includes freedom, acceptance, equality and inclusiveness in the society. This enables the common citizens to live a respectable life.
In protest against Article 370, the then founder of Jansangh raised his voice and said that two flags, two constitutions and two heads will not work in one country. He sacrificed his life for this.
Parliament repealed Article 370
–I thank this Parliament that it repealed Article 370 on 5th August 2019 and today Jammu and Kashmir has become an integral part of India.
–Congress members say that they have apologized for the Emergency, now it should not be discussed.
–Next year on 25th June, it will be 50 years since the Emergency; we will celebrate ‘Anti-Democracy Day’.
–We call upon the Congress to also join it.
–Emergency was not imposed because there was any threat to the country but because there was a threat to the power of the ruling party and for this reason, on 25th June 1975, through Presidential Assent, the Fundamental Rights, Article 19 and Article 21 were suspended citing internal disturbance under Article 352 of the Indian Constitution, as the reason.
–During the Emergency, more than 1 lakh people were imprisoned under MISA and DIR for 22 months.
–During that crisis, the media stood firmly against the Emergency.
Constitutional Amendments
Through the 39th Constitutional Amendment, the then Government provided that the election of the President, Vice President, Speaker and Prime Minister would not be challenged. In this way, the ruling party was taking itself out of judicial review and this amendment was to be implemented with retrospective effect.
Then came the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. This amendment had such far-reaching effects that it was like rewriting the Constitution. It was like a mini Constitution and it completely changed our Constitution. Today, while discussing the Constitution makers, we should keep in mind that the Congress Government had made a malicious attempt to change the soul of the Constitution in 1976. By this amendment, the judiciary could not review any Constitutional Amendment on any basis. The Preamble was also amended. The words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ were added to it. But if the then Government had read the Constitution and understood the aspirations of the Constitution makers, they would not have added these.
No need to include the term ‘secular’
–Dr. Ambedkar had written that there was no need to include the term ‘secular’ as the entire Constitution embodied the concept of a ‘Secular State’, which meant no discrimination on the grounds of religion and equal rights and status for all citizens.
–But Congress added this word in the Preamble to appease the minorities.
–Similarly, Dr. Ambedkar had written about the inclusion of the word ‘socialist’ that it was against the very grain of the democracy to decide in the Constitution what kind of society the people of India should live in.
–But Congress added this term in the Preamble to show itself as progressive.
44th Constitutional Amendment
Now I will talk about the 44th Constitutional Amendment. In it, the reasons for emergency were redefined and the words ‘armed rebellion’ were included in place of ‘internal disturbance’. In the same way, we also said that for imposing emergency, there should be consent of the cabinet as well as the Parliament and this consent should be obtained within a month. Now you can understand the difference between good and bad laws.
Today, a bill has to be brought in the country regarding one nation, one election because the Congress Governments misused Article 356 and dismissed the elected Governments of many states many times, due to which the tenure of the assemblies in all the states became different. Otherwise, till 1967, all the elections were held simultaneously.
I also want to talk about minority appeasement. Rajiv Gandhi ji was called progressive. But for minority appeasement, he brought an Amendment in the Parliament to overturn the decision given by the Supreme Court in the Shah Bano case. The Supreme Court had said many times that triple talaq should be abolished. But the Congress Governments did not do anything in this direction, whereas even in many Islamic countries there is no triple talaq. Due to the farsightedness and firm resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triple talaq was abolished and Muslim sisters were brought into the folds of mainstream.
Jawaharlal Nehru neglected defence preparations
I would also like to discuss some of the ‘boundary’ issues from the point of view of the Constitution. In reference to ceding of territories, the Congress Party has neither been protecting India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor combating efforts to reduce India’s influence in our neighborhood. In 1949, although our valiant military had achieved success on the battlefield, a ceasefire was accepted by Pandit Nehru. That is why even today, we have Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
The House is also aware that China had occupied 38,000 square kilometres of Indian territory and received through an illegal transfer of another 5,180 square kilometres from Pakistan. China could do this because Jawaharlal Nehru neglected defence preparations, including the border infrastructure and was diplomatically naive.
Reservation for backward classes
Reservation for backward classes is one thing and reservation for religious minorities is another thing. Along with this, there is also reservation for Scheduled Castes. We all know how you treated Baba Saheb Ambedkar. You repeatedly tried to defeat him in elections. Ambedkar ji said that both merit and deprived communities should be kept in mind.
There should be a balance between the two and reservation should be implemented. You people should know what were the feelings of those who were in the Constituent Assembly and those who later ruled the country towards reservation.
Passing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act
Reservation to women was provided only by our Government by passing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act. We also made an attempt to deliver justice to Muslim women by abolishing triple talaq. Coming to economic justice, economic justice was delivered through Mudra Yojana, Jan Dhan accounts, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana etc. It is a great achievement by Prime Minister Modi to provide health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year to 61 crore people under Ayushman Bharat.