Will not allow Constitution to be mortgaged by autocratic govt: Congress on Constitution Day

Will not allow Constitution to be mortgaged by autocratic govt: Congress on Constitution Day
Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi leads opposition protest against the murder of democracy by reading out the Preamble of the Constitution of India at the parliament. Photo: Twitter/INC India

New Delhi: The Constitution Day celebrations of the country witnessed a massive boycott by the Opposition here on Tuesday.

The Congress said it resolved to save the soul of the Constitution by not allowing it to be mortgaged to an "autocratic government blinded by the insatiable lust for power".

November 26 has been celebrated as 'Constitution Day' or 'Samvidhan Diwas' since 2015 to commemorate the adoption of the Indian Constitution.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has strengthened and empowered its democracy in the last 70 years. He was addressing members of both Houses of Parliament in the Central Hall of Parliament House.

He also said that while November 26 is a happy occasion as India celebrates Constitution Day, it also reminds of the Mumbai terror attacks that took place on this day in 2008.

"I pay tributes to those killed in the Mumbai terror attacks," he added.

Opposition unites in boycotting event

Upset over political developments in Maharashtra, the Congress and other opposition parties boycotted Constitution Day celebrations in the Central Hall of Parliament and held a joint protest in front of the Ambedkar statue inside Parliament complex.

Congress, DMK, SP, NCP, RJD, CPI, CPM, TMC, IUML, and Shiv Sena leaders skipped the joint sitting of both the Houses in Parliament as a mark of protest against the BJP's alleged high-handedness in Maharashtra.

In a first, the Congress was supported by the Shiv Sena in the protest.

The protest was led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and party leader Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress and opposition leaders met at Parliament House this morning to finalise the protest.

Sonia Gandhi led the protesters in taking a pledge to uphold the Constitution. She read out the Preamble to the Constitution and resolved to stand by the fundamental values of the Constitution.

Among leaders who protested outside were DMK's T R Baalu, Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant, TMC's Saugata Roy, NCP's Majeed Memon.

(With inputs from PTI.)

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