Jairam Ramesh flags PM’s ‘failure’ to uphold key constitutional duties
Ramesh cited Article 51-A, noting the PM’s adherence to at least four of the eleven Fundamental Duties is “demonstrably suspect”
Marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing political debate over Constitutional values, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday, 26 November, questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fulfilling his own Fundamental Duties even as he urges citizens to uphold theirs.
Ramesh pointed to Article 51-A under Part IV-A of the Constitution, which lists eleven Fundamental Duties, and argued that the Prime Minister’s adherence to at least four of them is “demonstrably suspect.”
He listed the following duties as areas where, according to him, the PM has fallen short:
Abiding by the Constitution and respecting its ideals and institutions
Cherishing and following the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom
Promoting harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities
Developing scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform
Ramesh’s remarks come a day after the Prime Minister emphasised the need for citizens to fulfill their Constitutional duties, prompting a sharp counter from the Opposition, which has accused the government of selectively invoking duties while eroding democratic norms.