'75 years of Indian Constitution a matter of pride': PM Modi adresses Lok Sabha in special session

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Lok Sabha as he replied to the two-day-long Constitution debate. He said that the 75 years of the Indian Constitution is a matter of pride and celebration as he expressed gratitude to the makers and lawmakers.

#WATCH | Speaking during discussion on the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India, PM Narendra Modi says, "For all of us, for all citizens and for all democracy-loving citizens across the world, this is a moment of great pride..." pic.twitter.com/eruvAXgE94

— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2024

“This achievement of 75 years is not ordinary, it is extraordinary. India’s Constitution has brought us here by defeating the possibilities that were expressed for India at the time when the country attained independence,” PM Modi said as he addressed the special session of Lok Sabha.

He added, “I would like to respectfully bow before the crores of people of India - they lived this new system. Citizens of India deserve all the praise.”

#WATCH | Constitution Debate | In Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi says, "This achievement of 75 years is not ordinary, it is extraordinary. India's Constitution has brought us here by defeating the possibiltiies that were expressed for India at the time when the counrty attained… pic.twitter.com/pQPV7fAKDS

— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2024

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The two-day-long special session has been called to debate the Constitution, which has taken the central stage in recent times, as 26 November marked 75 years since it was adopted. The Opposition has brought up the Constitution regularly during debates in the Winter Session of the Parliament, accusing the BJP-led central government of flouting its clauses.

Talking about the abrogation of Article 370, PM Modi said, “Article 370 was an obstacle to India’s unity, and that’s why we removed it,” adding that the provision was impeding India’s unity.

VIDEO | "We have worked continuously to strengthen the unity of India. Article 370 was, however, a roadblock in unity of the country, and therefore, we abrogated it. In a country as big as ours, if we want to move ahead and if we want the world to invest here, then we need to… pic.twitter.com/Ga9MgJjM0W

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 14, 2024

Slams Congress

Coming down heavily on the Congress party, PM Modi said, “One Congress family changed the Constitution to attack freedom of expression, it was an insult to the founders of the Constitution.”

He added, “One Congress family relentlessly pursuing wrong thoughts, wrong deeds and wrong policies.”

Recalling how former Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru treated the Constitution, PM Modi said, “Nehru ji once wrote a letter to chief ministers of the country saying that ‘if the Constitution comes in our way, we will make all the amendments to it’.”

He said, “It is 75 years of the Constitution. When the country was celebrating 25 years of the Constitution it was razed. Emergency was imposed, democratic systems were finished, the country was turned into a prison, citizens’s rights were looted, and press freedom was locked up.”

#WATCH | Constitution Debate | In Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi says, "It is 75 years of Constitution. But 25 years also has an importance, so do 50 years and 60 years...When the country was witnessing 25 years of Constitution, at the same time Constitution in our country was… pic.twitter.com/0F30WU6wNs

— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2024

What did Rahul Gandhi say?

Earlier today, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi invoked ‘Eklavya’ mentioned in the Hindu scripture Mahabharat in the Lok Sabha.

“When you implemented Agniveer, you cut off the thumb of the youth. When you have paper leaks - you had 70 paper leaks, you cut off the thumb of the youth of India…Today, you lobbed tear gas shells on farmers outside Delhi, you unleashed lathi charge on the farmers,” he said.

The LoP was referring to the tale where Eklavya sacrificed his thumb for his Guru Dronacharya as a tribute.

In his speech, Gandhi also cited Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar’s remarks that there was nothing Indian about the Constitution and took a jibe at the BJP, saying by talking of protecting the Constitution, the ruling party is “ridiculing” its “supreme leader”.