Lok Sabha Clash: Rahul Targets BJP Over Savarkar, Shrikant Shinde Fires Back with Indira Gandhi Letter

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi cited Hindutva idealogue V D Savarkar’s criticism of the Constitution that there was “nothing Indian about it” to attack BJP and said the ruling party is “defaming and ridiculing” its own “supreme leader” when it talks about protecting the Constitution.

BJP and the RSS are “supporters of Manusmriti” but the country will be run on the Constitution, Gandhi said.

“I want to start my speech by quoting your supreme leader Savarkar and his ideas on the Constitution of India and how he thought India should be run. He says, ‘The worst thing about the Constitution of India is that there is nothing Indian about it. Manusmriti is that scripture that is most worshippable after the Vedas… Today, Manusmriti is law’,” Gandhi said.

“It is nice that all of you are so-called defending the Constitution. But I want to ask you, do you stand by your leader’s words? Do you support your leader’s words? But when you speak about defending the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, you are abusing Savarkar, you are defaming Savarkar,” Gandhi said.

Referring to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s critical comments earlier on Savarkar, Shinde questioned Congress’s repeated criticism of the freedom fighter.

Shinde read out from Indira Gandhi’s letter, stating, “Veer Savarkar’s daring defiance of the British Government has its own importance in the annals of our freedom movement. I wish success to the plans to celebrate the birth centenary of this remarkable son of India.””

Shinde then posed a pointed question to Rahul Gandhi, “Was your grandmother, Indira Gandhi, also against the Constitution in praising Savarkar? We take pride in Savarkar ji and his contribution to the nation.”

Amid the chaos, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey claimed that “Indira Gandhi had even funded Savarkar’s trust. The Congress should stop spreading lies. Rahul Gandhi can never be Savarkar.”

Later, Rahul Gandhi said, “I had asked Indira Gandhi ji about her views on Savarkar, and she said, Savarkar apologised to the British… Gandhi ji went to jail, Nehru ji went to jail, but Savarkar ji sought forgiveness”.

Participating in a debate on 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, Gandhi used the metaphor of the thumb as a symbol of livelihood and skill.

Drawing a parallel with the story of Eklavya, who had to chop off his thumb as ‘Guru Dakshina’ to Dronacharya, Rahul Gandhi alleged that by creation of “monopolies” for the Adani Group in various sectors, bringing in the Agnipath scheme, firing teargas at protesting farmers, bringing in lateral entry and allowing paper leaks, the government was “chopping off” the thumb of the youth, tillers, backward class people and the poor.

He also reiterated his promise made on the floor of the House last session that a caste census will be conducted and the 50 percent cap on reservation will be done away with to usher in a “new type of development” in the country.

Referring to his visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, Rahul Gandhi said he met the family of the woman, who was allegedly gangraped and killed. He said the victim family is locked in the house, while the accused roam free. “Where is this written in the Constitution that the family of the person raped be confined to a house,” he said. The INDIA bloc will facilitate the relocation of the family if the government does not do it, he added.

Posting his speech on X, Rahul wrote, “Congress and INDIA alliance are the protectors of the Constitution. BJP and RSS are supporters of Manusmriti. The country will be run by the Constitution, not by Manusmriti!”

(With inputs from PTI)