Lucknow, Mar 13: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi unleashed a blistering critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtriya Samvidhan Sammelan here, asserting that “the Constitution is the voice of the people, not of Nathuram Godse and Savarkar,” and accusing the PM of straying from its foundational principles of equality and justice.
Addressing a packed gathering of party workers, opposition leaders, and civil society activists, Gandhi positioned the Constitution as a sacred document forged by India’s freedom struggle, embodying the aspirations of the masses rather than the ideologies of those he linked to its historical detractors. “PM does not follow the ideology of the Constitution,” he charged, alleging that Modi’s policies favor crony capitalists and undermine the rights of farmers, youth, and marginalized communities.
The event, hosted by Congress to galvanize support ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls and other state elections, saw Gandhi elaborate on key grievances: from farm laws and unemployment to electoral bonds and institutional erosion. He invoked Ambedkar, Nehru, and Patel to contrast Congress’s legacy of constitutional fidelity against what he called BJP’s “hidden agenda” to reshape India in the image of RSS thinkers.
Gandhi urged the crowd to defend the document through unity and vigilance, warning that dividing society along lines of caste, creed, or region weakens democracy. “This is not just a book; it’s our shield against authoritarianism,” he thundered, drawing thunderous applause and chants of “Save Constitution.”
The speech escalates the Congress-BJP war of words, with BJP leaders likely to hit back by accusing Gandhi of distorting history and inciting division. It reaffirms Rahul’s role as the opposition’s chief agitator, leveraging constitutional rhetoric to rally anti-Modi forces amid economic pressures from the West Asia war and domestic challenges. Party insiders see this as a blueprint for Congress’s poll strategy, emphasizing social justice over development narratives.
