New Delhi: The fate of India’s Constitution has become the central theme of electoral discourse this time, with the opposition parties encapsulating the nature of threat of the RSS-BJP regime as a possible dilution of rights and privileges guaranteed to the weaker sections of society. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has cut down on rhetoric to specifically declare that this election is about protecting the “samividhan (Constitution) and gareeb (poor)”.
Though the opposition parties have been talking about the threat to the Constitution for a long time now, feedback from the ground suggests that this issue has penetrated with the masses and found resonance in their core concerns, compelling the top leaders to prioritise this along with prices and unemployment. Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh has already underlined the shift by proclaiming that Rahul is now on a mission to save the “samvidhan”. He tweeted on Monday (May 6), “After walking 4000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on the Bharat Jodo Yatra and travelling 6,600 km from Manipur to Mumbai on Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi has now embarked on Samvidhan Bachao Yatra. Congress is the party of Indian constitutionalism and Indian nationalism. We will protect its principles, its values, and its basic structure till our dying breath.”
Illustration: Pariplab Chakraborty
Ignoring categorical assertions by senior leaders like Narendra Modi, J.P. Nadda, Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh that the Constitution cannot be changed, opposition leaders highlighted the statements by some BJP leaders – former Union minister Ananth Hegde, Nagaur candidate Jyoti Mirdha, Ayodhya candidate Lallu Singh and Meerut candidate Arun Govil – about changing the Constitution. Some of them said the BJP needed 400 seats for the purpose. While Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Tejashwi Yadav and M.K. Stalin raised this issue at their public meetings, Rahul and Akhilesh Yadav started showing a copy of Constitution at the rallies, alleging that “the kitab (book) that gave you rights is about to be scrapped”. Rahul has done this at every rally for the last few days, repeating this on Monday in Madhya Pradesh and on Tuesday in Jharkhand.
On Tuesday the Congress dug up a two-week-old statement by Rajasthan deputy chief minister Diya Kumari, portraying it as yet more evidence of the sinister plan to change the Constitution. Kumari is shown in the video responding to a question about the criticism that the BJP could change the Constitution by saying, “Changes will happen; we removed Article 370. Many more changes have to happen and for that we need majority in Parliament. To make India developed and strong, we have to take steps. Old laws need to be changed and Modi will do that.” Though there is no mention of reservation being stopped or rights being shelved, the Congress started singing about the death of constitutional rule. Rahul tweeted, “From BJP MPs to deputy chief minister, everybody is harping on changing the Constitution. Samvidhan badal denge. Modi and RSS want to change the Constitution and snatch the rights and reservation given to the Dalits, backwards and Adivasis. We will sacrifice our lives but not allow any danger to the Constitution.”
Sonia Gandhi issued a video message saying, “Dalits, Adivasis, backwards and minorities are facing dreadful discrimination in every corner of the country today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to retain power at any cost. They have spread hate for political gains. Congress is committed to deliver justice to all. Out manifesto also aims to give justice and empower women, youth, farmers, workers and deprived sections. Congress and INDIA are committed to protect the Constitution.” Congress media department head Pawan Khera also held a press conference to dwell on the plan to change the Constitution. He said while what happened in Surat and Indore show the Constitution is in danger, the way force was applied on candidates in Gandhinagar to withdraw should alert us to the lurking peril. He said 16 candidates were forced to withdraw from the race in Gandhinagar where Union home minister Amit Shah is contesting; a video of one candidate crying in fear in front of the camera went viral on social media.
Rahul Gandhi kept focus on the Constitution in his speech in Jharkhand on Tuesday, saying, “This election is critical for the future of Dalits, tribal communities, OBCs. We all are fighting to save the Constitution. (Holding up the Constitution) This is not an ordinary book. This is your voice. The BJP wants to silence this voice. They want to tear up and throw away the Constitution. Whatever the tribal communities got is because of the Constitution. The reservation you get; education and other rights, everything is guaranteed by the Constitution. Dalits, Adivasis, backwards will have nothing if Constitution is scrapped. Everything will go into the hands of 15-20 billionaires. You know Adani. He has set his sight on your forests, your natural resources. Modi wants governance without Constitution. We will not allow this. We will lay down our lives to protect the Constitution.” He had said all these things at the meeting in Madhya Pradesh on Monday as well.
Opposition leaders say the issue has caused deep concern among the Dalits, Adivasis and minorities across the states and was going to hurt the BJP in a big way. Modi understood the crisis on this front and declared that even Babasaheb Ambedkar cannot change the Constitution now. But the BJP leaders’ clarifications failed to close the chapter because of two reasons: One, stray comments about the plan to change the Constitution kept coming from different leaders; two, it is a historical fact that the RSS was opposed to the Constitution as they felt Indian ethos and culture didn’t get reflected in the document influenced by ‘Western philosophy’. Over the past few years, BJP leaders fuelled the campaign for Hindu rashtra and offered tacit or open support to the forces that condemned secularism. Even on reservation, statements have come at regular intervals about the need to scrap the quota provisions and establish a merit-based system.
