Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticized the Congress in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, addressing issues such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), constitutional amendments, and reservations. Shah declared that every BJP-ruled state would implement the UCC, following the example of Uttarakhand.
During a two-day discussion on the ‘Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India,’ Shah accused the Congress of indulging in “appeasement” politics. Referring to Article 44 of the Constitution, which advocates for a Uniform Civil Code, Shah blamed former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for introducing Muslim Personal Law instead. “In a secular state, shouldn’t there be one law for all communities? Congress gave Muslims the Personal Law while the rest had to follow what became known as the Hindu Code Bill,” he said.
Shah also criticized the Congress for adopting different personal laws while maintaining a common criminal code. “If you truly want Muslim Personal Law, why not implement it fully? Should the Sharia apply to criminal law too? Will you cut off the hands of thieves?” he remarked.
Shah accused the Congress of advocating for an increase in reservation not to benefit SCs, STs, and OBCs, but to allocate the additional quotas to Muslims, a move he claimed the party had already implemented in two states.
Amit Shah accused the Congress of pushing for reservations beyond the 50% limit, not for the welfare of SCs, STs, or OBCs, but to allocate quotas based on religion, particularly to Muslims. “Two states have implemented reservations on religious grounds, which is anti-Constitutional as the Constitution prohibits such practices. Their aim isn’t to benefit OBCs but to provide reservation on the basis of religion,” he said.
Shah further criticized the Congress for being “anti-OBC,” pointing out that the Kaka Kalelkar Commission report was relegated to a library instead of being considered by the Cabinet. He alleged that the Mandal Commission report was shelved for a decade, and OBC reservations were implemented only after Congress lost power. Citing a letter from Nehru to B.C. Roy, Shah claimed Nehru prioritized C. Rajagopalachari over Ambedkar, writing that Ambedkar’s exit from the Cabinet would not weaken it.
Defending V.D. Savarkar, Shah condemned the Congress for its criticism of the freedom fighter, stating that nationalism and bravery should not be viewed through a political or ideological lens. “One hundred and forty crore people call Savarkar ‘Veer.’ He was the only person to be sentenced to two life terms and showed immense courage, even leaping into the sea for the cause of freedom. The Savarkar brothers endured 10 years in the same jail without meeting each other, a testament to their unmatched sacrifice,” he said.
Amit Shah cited former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s remarks on V.D. Savarkar, noting that she had called him a “great man and a great revolutionary” upon his death in 1966. He also recalled her letter saluting Savarkar on his 100th birth anniversary, urging Congress leaders to take a lesson from her stance.
“I appeal to all political parties and citizens not to associate nationalism and courage with religion, ideology, or party. Bravery transcends such boundaries,” Shah said.
Continuing his criticism of the Congress, particularly the Nehru-Gandhi family, Shah questioned whether Article 1 of the Constitution allowed Indira Gandhi’s government to cede Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka. On the now-repealed Article 35A, which granted special privileges to Jammu and Kashmir, he remarked, “Article 35A was introduced through a Presidential Order without Parliament’s approval. For Congress, not just the party but the Constitution seems to be treated as the property of one family.”
Referring to the Constituent Assembly’s debate on naming the country, Amit Shah highlighted that Seth Govind Das had advocated for “Bharat,” but Jawaharlal Nehru emphasized looking to the future rather than the past. “That’s how it became ‘India, that is Bharat.’ When you view things through a foreign lens, you fail to grasp their essence. Perhaps that’s why they’ve named their alliance INDIA,” Shah remarked.
Amit Shah targeted Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, for accusing the BJP of attempting to alter the Constitution. Shah remarked that the 54-year-old, still referred to as a “young leader,” should understand that the Constitution itself permits amendments under Article 368.
Shah acknowledged that both Congress and BJP had amended the Constitution while in power but argued that the intent behind those amendments was what mattered. Echoing earlier criticisms by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Shah pointed to the 1st, 24th, 39th, and 42nd Amendment Acts passed under Congress governments. He alleged these amendments were designed to curtail citizens’ rights, weaken institutions, and entrench the ruling government’s power.
Recalling actions taken during the Emergency, Shah said, “They had to pass laws, but some courageous Congress members stayed absent to prevent a quorum. So, they amended the Constitution to remove the need for a quorum. They also extended the period of President’s Rule.”
Shah recounted the widespread oppression during the Emergency, highlighting that lakhs of people were imprisoned and press censorship was imposed. He recalled how The Indian Express published a blank editorial as a protest against the censorship. Sharing a personal anecdote, he said that as a young man during the Emergency, he learned that Kishore Kumar’s songs had been banned, which even disrupted the popular radio program Binaca Geetmala.
Shah described the Modi government’s constitutional amendments as pro-people reforms, citing key changes such as implementing GST, granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission, introducing a 10% quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and passing the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam to ensure women’s reservation in Parliament and state assemblies.
“They often speak about the federal structure. In 2021, we amended the Constitution to empower state governments to decide which caste is considered backward,” he added.
Shah commended the Modi government for its transformative initiatives, including the New Education Policy, the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and the introduction of three new penal laws aimed at “Indianising” the justice system.
“We also enacted a law to criminalize triple talaq,” he said, highlighting the BJP’s commitment to justice. “The Supreme Court had ruled in the Shah Bano case that she deserved justice and called for the abolition of instant triple talaq. You [the Congress] didn’t act on it, but we did.”
Taking a swipe at the Opposition’s criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Shah pointed out the inconsistency in their stance. “They’ve raised concerns about EVMs, yet the Supreme Court has rejected their petitions 24 times. On the same day, they lost badly in Maharashtra and won in Jharkhand. In Maharashtra, they claimed flaws, but in Jharkhand, they took the oath. So, EVMs are acceptable when they win but flawed when they lose,” he quipped.
Shah recalled an incident in Maharashtra where a journalist received a copy of the Constitution that turned out to be blank inside. “The introduction to that copy of the Constitution claimed that Indira Gandhi attacked the Constitution,” he said.
