Constitution Day: Congress says PM, HM ‘eroding’ core constitutional values, principles

As the nation marked Constitution Day, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh invoked historic records from the Constituent Assembly to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of systematically undermining the Constitution and the values that shaped it.

Citing archival speeches delivered on 26 November 1949, the day the Constitution was adopted, Ramesh highlighted the pivotal roles played by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in crafting the foundational document of the Republic.

He contrasted this legacy with what he described as the current government’s efforts to weaken constitutional principles.

Ramesh recalled that on the morning of the Constitution’s adoption, Constituent Assembly President Dr. Rajendra Prasad paid an emphatic tribute to Ambedkar, noting his “zeal and devotion” and calling his appointment as Chairman of the Drafting Committee “a decision… ever so right.” Prasad underscored that Ambedkar had “added lustre” to the Constitution through his leadership.

He also cited C. Rajagopalachari, then Governor-General, who, while addressing a gathering in Guwahati the same day, described Ambedkar’s leadership of the drafting process as “the greatest triumph of non-violence.” Rajaji fondly recalled his own initiative in proposing Ambedkar’s inclusion in the committee and praised the “large-hearted acceptance” of Nehru and Patel.

Using these historical references, Ramesh argued that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had “no role whatsoever” in the making of the Constitution and, in fact, opposed it soon after its adoption. He alleged that the present government, rooted in the RSS, continues that legacy of hostility.

Ramesh accused the PM and HM of “subverting Constitutional principles, provisions, and practices in a calculated manner,” claiming that their actions betray the spirit of the framers and erode the democratic architecture established in 1949.

His statement, issued on Constitution Day, forms part of the Congress’s broader attack on the BJP-led government’s approach to federalism, civil liberties and institutional independence, areas in which the party says constitutional norms have been repeatedly violated.