In an attack on dynastic politics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pointed out that if a party is run by one family for many generations, it isn’t good for a healthy democracy.
“Party for the family, by the family…do I need to say more? If a party is run by one family for many generations, then, it isn’t good for a healthy democracy,” said PM Modi at an event on Constitution Day in the Central Hall of the Parliament. “The spirit of the Constitution has also been hurt, every section of the Constitution has also been hurt, when political parties lose their democratic character in themselves. How can the parties which have lost their democratic character protect democracy?” he added.
“On the basis of merit, more than one person can go in politics from one family and this will not make the party family-oriented. But one family is in politics generation after generation,” the Prime Minister said. He further said that the country is moving towards a crisis for family-run parties.
The Prime Minister further paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and all those who fought during India’s Independence struggle. “Constitution Day is the day to salute this House, where many of India’s leaders brainstormed to give us the Constitution of India. We also pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and all those who fought during India’s independence struggle,” he said.
Constitution Day is celebrated on 26 November every year to mark the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of the Indian Republic. The Constitution Day was first celebrated in 2015 as a mark of tribute to India’s first Law Minister Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who played a pivotal role in the drafting of the document.
PM Modi said: “Our Constitution binds our diverse country. It was drafted after many hindrances and united the princely states in the country.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that the Constitution of India is like a modern version of the Gita: “The Constitution of India is like a modern version of the Gita for us that motivates us to work for the nation. If each one of us commits to working for the country then we can build ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’.”
However, several Opposition parties including Congress, Left parties, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP) boycotted the function at the Central Hall of Parliament.
According to sources, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh reached out to other Opposition leaders for boycotting the event. Sharma said merely observing the Constitution Day as a government function and disrespecting the spirit and essence of the Indian Constitution is a poor reflection on the state of affairs. “The Constitution can be meaningfully celebrated when it ensures the inclusiveness and participation of all the public representatives. Reducing it to a government event is what we protested against. We had raised this issue two years ago and respect the Parliamentary democracy,” he said.
“Every Constitutional institution in the country has been subverted or is under constant attack. Law-making has become the most undemocratic. The government has started a trend by making laws through ordinances. And it is brought which are critical to the people and vast section of our citizenship,” he added.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “If it has been a Constitution day then the government should have allowed everybody to speak on the occasion. Only three-four people in the government will on this not occasion is not right. It is not a government function but a party-specific event.”
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla said that the Opposition parties should have participated in the function as it was a function of Parliament not of the government. “Constitution Day function was of Parliament and not of government. I am upset by the boycott of Opposition parties. It is my endeavour that there should be no tradition of a boycott during the address of President, Vice President, and the Governor,” Birla said.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Rajya Sabha MP Prasanna Acharya slammed the opposition parties for boycotting the function. Speaking to ANI, Acharya said, “Since the Constitution came into force, we celebrate Constitution Day in the country, I do not find any reason behind boycotting the celebration of the Constitution Day. Opposing the day is not a good message.”
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu asserted that legislatures should respect people’s mandate to governments and added that disruptions in legislatures negate the Constitution’s spirit.
PROTECT JUDICIARY: CJI RAMANA
Asking the Bar Association to stand up for what is right and against what is wrong, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana on Friday urged lawyers to protect the judiciary from “motivated and targeted attacks”.
Speaking at the Constitution Day celebration organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), CJI Ramana said that the most important feature of the Indian Constitution is the fact that it provides a framework for debate. Stating that the lawyers and judges are part of one large family, the CJI said, “I want to tell all of you, that you must assist judges and the institution. We are all ultimately part of one large family. Protect the institution from motivated and targeted attacks. Do not shy away from standing up for what is right, and against what is wrong.”