CM Sharma said Congress has shown neither respect for the Constitution nor for Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar, accusing the party of breaching constitutional sanctity whenever it suited its political interests.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday reiterated that the Congress has shown neither respect for the Constitution nor for Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar, accusing the party of breaching constitutional sanctity whenever it suited its political interests.
Addressing a large public gathering at the Marwar International Centre here to mark “Samvidhan Hatya Divas”-observed on the 50th anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency-Sharma said, “In contrast, the BJP and its governments have always held the Constitution in high esteem and accorded full honour to Baba Sahib Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee.
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“Even today, along with all of you in the audience and the cadres of the ruling BJP, I solemnly pledge to play a proactive role in defending the Constitution and upholding its tenets,” the Chief Minister resolved.
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Likewise, the BJP leadership and its governments have always ensured that Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar is given his due respect and honour, he remarked.
It was the BJP-led government in 1990 that posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna on Dr Ambedkar. It was again under a BJP regime that the ‘Ambedkar Panch Teerth’ were developed, and November 26 was declared as Constitution Day to be observed every year,” CM Sharma said.
Ridiculing the Congress’s ongoing “Samvidhan Bachao (Defend the Constitution) rallies, he said those who never uphold the honour and sanctity of the Constitution or its architect, Dr BR Ambedkar, have no moral right to raise such a narrative.
“It was the Congress party whose top leader at the time—then PM Indira Gandhi—violated the Constitution in 1975 solely to save her position and government,” he said.
“Was imposing the Emergency in the country a justified step in any way?” Sharma wondered, adding that the Congress leadership had completely disregarded the Constitution just to stay in power.
The grand old party had never shown respect or regard for Dr Ambedkar—it neither nominated him for the Parliament elections nor supported him as an independent candidate, instead ensured his defeat, the Chief Minister recalled, invoking memories from over half a century ago.
The party and its leaders have a habit of invoking perceived threats to the sanctity and supremacy of the Constitution whenever they or members of the Gandhi family find themselves in crisis, he said.
In a strongly worded rebuttal to sharp remarks made by his predecessor Ashok Gehlot comparing the performance of the two rival regimes, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma asserted, “The fact is, when it comes to development work, our government has outperformed the previous Gehlot-led administration in every sector. I have a three-page set of detailed data that speaks volumes about my government’s achievements.”
“Everyone is aware of the failures and lapses of the previous regime, and all those ‘misdeeds’ will demand answers from him (Gehlot),” Sharma retorted.
He also expressed displeasure over former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s casual remark describing the detention of MISA detenus during the Emergency as a “routine action.” Responding sharply, Sharma said, “Gehlot Sahib, only those who faced and suffered through it can truly understand the gravity of that traumatic situation.”
During his one-day visit to Jodhpur, the Chief Minister attended several programmes, including the convocation ceremony at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur.
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