Leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, on Monday staged a protest at the Parliament premises here, alleging attack on the Constitution under the Narendra Modi-led government.

The Opposition leaders held the demonstration at the location where the statue of Mahatma Gandhi was there, on the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha. They shouted slogans while holding aloft copies of the Constitution.

“Modi ji tried to break the Constitution. Therefore, we are protesting here where the Gandhi statue was there. He is breaking every democratic norm. We want to tell Narendra Modi you should move ahead according to the Constitution,” the Congress president said.

Notably, last week, he wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman and demanded restoration of the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar, and other national leaders to their original locations in the Parliament premises.

Later in a post on ‘X’, Kharge referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the media before the start of the maiden session of the 18th Lok Sabha, said, “PM Modi made a longer than usual customary address today. Clearly, even after moral and political defeat, the arrogance remains.”

“The nation was hoping that Modi ji would say something on many important issues. He will show some sympathy towards the youth regarding the paper leak in NEET and other recruitment examinations, but he did not take any responsibility for the massive rigging and corruption of his government. Be it the floods in Assam and the northeast, the backbreaking price rise, the historic fall of the Rupee, or be it the exit poll-stock market scam, Modi ji is mum,” he said.

On the caste census, the Congress chief said, “Modi government has kept the next census pending for a long time, PM Modi was completely silent even on the caste census.”

He also slammed the Prime Minister over his Emergency remark and said, “You are reminding us of the 50-year-old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of ‘Undeclared Emergency’, which was ended by the people. People have given their mandate against Modi ji. Despite this, if he has become the Prime Minister, then he should work. People need substance, not slogans- remember this yourself.”

Recalling the 1975 Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister said, “Tomorrow marks 50 years since a dark chapter was written into India’s democracy. The new generation of Bharat must never forget how the Constitution was completely disregarded, torn apart, and the country was turned into a prison, with democracy utterly suppressed. “

“These 50 years since the Emergency remind us to protect our Constitution and democracy with pride. The countrymen must resolve that such a travesty will never be allowed to happen again,” he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “The attack on the Constitution by Prime Minister, Amit Shah ji is not acceptable for us. We will not allow this to happen under any circumstances.

“We will raise the voice of the people and will not let the Prime Minister escape without accountability,” he said, raising various issues including the NEET “scam” and recent train accident.