Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday asserted the Constitution was under attack from the BJP-led government at the Centre.

He also claimed that the fundamental and basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution to every Indian, are slowly being encroached upon and being eroded by the ruling dispensation.

In a video message on the occasion of Republic Day, Kharge said, “I extend my good wishes to you on the 75th Republic Day. It is on this day 74 years back in 1950 that our Constitution came into effect, and we became a Republic breaking the chains of feudalism and colonialism.”

Noting that justice, equality, fraternity, freedom, brotherhood, secularism, and socialism are India’s foundational pillars, the Congress chief said, “The Constitution ensured fundamental rights, social justice, and political rights to every citizen. Today, these pillars are under attack from the government itself.
The founding fathers of our Constitution – Pandit Nehru, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad and other giants of the Constituent Assembly would not have imagined that the Constitution would face such challenges.”

He asserted that the fundamental and basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution to every Indian, were slowly being encroached upon and being eroded.

Attacking the BJP, the Congress chief said, “We, the people of India who gave this Constitution to ourselves included Dalits, Tribals, Women, Farmers, and Labourers. Today they are facing assault by the government which is using ’emotional’ issues to divert attention and hide the Truth (from the issues concerning the public).”

“The attack on the Constitution is part of a well-planned conspiracy. Today the government is run by people who did not believe in our Constitution. They did not hoist our flag for many decades. Today, they claim to be patriots,” he said.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said the year 2024 is a very important year for India as this year will decide whether we will be able to “save” the values of the Constitution and Democracy or go back to the age where not all people are equal.

He said the Congress party has resolved to fight for the protection of the “Constitution, democracy and NYAY.’

“Today on Republic Day, let us all come together and make a pledge and join this mission of NYAY. Only then will we be able to secure the future of our youth.
This will be the victory of our Constitution. This will be the victory of India,” added Kharge.