Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress during a discussion in Rajya Sabha on the “Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India.”
Addressing issues such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), reservation policies, and constitutional amendments, Shah accused the Congress of promoting “appeasement politics” and undermining constitutional principles. “Under Article 44, our Constitution talks about the Uniform Civil Code. It did not become a reality because (Jawaharlal) Nehru brought in the Muslim Personal Law,” he said.
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‘BJP-ruled state to implement UCC’
Shah said that every BJP-ruled state would implement the UCC, citing Uttarakhand as a precedent. He slammed the Congress for introducing the Muslim Personal Law under Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure, alleging it hindered the implementation of Article 44 of the Constitution. “I ask the Congress: In a secular state, shouldn’t there be one law for all communities? ,” he asked.
“They gave Muslim Personal Law to Muslims, the rest that was common law came to be known as Hindu Code Bill,” Shah added.
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He alleged that the Congress was advocating for an increase in reservation quotas not to benefit SCs, STs, or OBCs, but to allocate the additional quotas to Muslims, a practice he claimed the party had implemented in two states.
“They have called for reservation beyond 50 per cent. Two states have reservation on religious grounds. It is anti-Constitution because the Constitution prohibits it. They don’t want the welfare of OBCs. They want to increase reservation to give it to Muslims… give reservation on grounds of religion,” he said.
Highlighting Congress’s past actions, Shah claimed that the party sidelined the Kaka Kalelkar and Mandal Commission reports, delaying OBC reservations until it was out of power. Responding to Congress’s criticism of VD Savarkar, Shah lauded the freedom fighter, citing his two life sentences and revolutionary actions. Referring to Indira Gandhi’s praise for Savarkar, he urged Congress leaders to emulate her stance.
Shah questioned the Congress-led government’s decision to cede Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka under Article 1 of the Constitution. He also criticised Nehru for prioritising the name “India” over “Bharat,” attributing this to a “foreign perspective.”
Shah further accused the Congress of amending the Constitution to consolidate power, particularly during the Emergency. He contrasted this with the Modi government’s amendments, which he described as “pro-people,” including the GST introduction, constitutional status for the OBC Commission, and the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Highlighting the abolition of instant triple talaq, Shah criticised Congress for not supporting the Supreme Court’s directive in the Shah Bano case. Addressing Opposition concerns over EVMs, he dismissed allegations as contradictory, citing instances where the same system produced varied results.
Shah credited the Modi government with key reforms, including the abrogation of Article 370, a new education policy, and the replacement of colonial-era penal laws. He also highlighted women’s reservation and EWS quota as transformative measures.