Nirmala, Kharge spar in Constitution debate

Top leaders trade blows

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The government and the Opposition on Monday clashed in the Rajya Sabha with the government accusing the Congress of brazenly amending the Constitution to help the "dynasty" and the Opposition accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of twisting facts and undermining India's federal structure.

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman opened the two-day debate on 75 years of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha and hailed the Constitution, noting that many other countries that gained independence around the same time as India had either modified or rewritten their founding documents. She also attacked the Congress.

"Each time the Congress brazenly amended the Constitution, only to help the family. The dynasty kept amending the Constitution... The amendments were not about strengthening democracy, but protecting those in power..."

— Nirmala Sitharaman, Union finance minister

RSS, Jana Sangh and the BJP's intent was to make laws according to Manusmriti. Those who disliked the flag, Ashok Chakra and the Constitution, are trying to teach us about the Constitution...

— Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress chief

"Each time the Congress brazenly amended the Constitution, only to help the family. The dynasty kept amending the Constitution, and this is how far they went even if it affects any particular woman who desperately needed the benefit," she said, in a possible reference to the 1985 Shah Bano case.

"The alteration of the Preamble to include socialist and secular highlights the disrespect and disregard the Congress has for constitutional processes, principles and institutions. The amendments were not about strengthening democracy, but for protecting those in power...again, the process is used for strengthening the family," she added.