The Constitution is under siege and the custodians of democracy have become its conspirators, Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi said on Monday in the Rajya Sabha as he cited various instances to show how the constitutional values of equality, secularism, and fraternity were being eroded.
During the ongoing debate on the Constitution in the Upper House, Singvi criticised the “new India under the BJP” for creating an ambiance of mistrust, division and fear. “From the Central Hall (of the old Parliament building) to the minorities, there is a sense of fear. Such a situation never occurred in India,” he said.
Singhvi further said, “Constitution, the sacred scripture of our sovereignty is under siege. The pillars of democracy tremble as tyranny tip toes into our temples of power. The sanctity of secularism is being shredded, federalism is fractured and freedom is curtailed. We are witnessing an era in which institutions are incapacitated, dissent demonized and truth throttled. The custodians of democracy have become its conspirators.”
The Congress leader pointed out that among the countries that gained independence from colonial rulers between 1930 and 1960, India was the only nation to retain a “glorious tradition of democracy” for which he credited Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress leader pointed out that among the countries that gained independence from colonial rulers between 1930 and 1960, India was the only nation to retain a “glorious tradition of democracy” for which he credited Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
{{/usCountry}}He accused the BJP of wearing “democratic clothes” but wielding “autocracy’s blade”, further saying that when rulers play as puppeteers with the democratic framework, the Constitution becomes a “pawn in that game”.
He also called out Union ministers of failing to speak against various instances of “bulldozer politics”. “Did any central minister had the courage to speak against the bulldozer politics?” Singhvi asked. “Is this fraternity and secularism? Who are the victims of ‘bulldozer raj’? 99% belonged to one community. I make a protest or stick a poster my house will be pulled down. Not one of you had the guts as you were not allowed to protest.”
Singhvi also slammed the Centre for not giving its stand on the Supreme Court’s recent directive restraining all courts from entertaining fresh suits to survey mosques to determine whether temple structures lie beneath them till it adjudicates on challenges to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act.
“What happened in Places of Worship Act and what the Supreme Court said, I am not going there. Most important is what was the stand of the central government?” he asked in the Rajya Sabha.
He also criticised the role of governors and the bureaucracy under the BJP, saying the former should not act like a “super CM (chief minister)”.
In an apparent reference to Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi, Singhvi pointed out how the governor sat on ten bills for one-and-a-half years to “to decide not to decide”. “When the governor is challenged in the court, he then decides on one bill and sends the remaining nine back to the government. After two days, the nine bills are sent again. This time, he sends them to the President. The same happens in eastern and northern states.”