'Ridiculing Savarkar by speaking about protecting Constitution': Rahul jabs BJP
What's the story
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during a debate commemorating 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution.
Conjuring Hindutva icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Gandhi said that the former had remarked that there "is nothing Indian about our Constitution."
Instead, Savarkar believed the Constitution should be replaced by the Manusmriti, he added.
Policy critique
Gandhi criticizes BJP's lateral entry policy
"When you (BJP) speak of protecting the Constitution, you are ridiculing Savarkar, you are abusing Savarkar, you are defaming Savarkar," the LoP said amid chants of disapproval from the treasury benches.
Gandhi also slammed the BJP's lateral entry policy in government jobs, likening the party to Dronacharya from Mahabharat.
He alleged they were crushing youth's aspirations by introducing this policy.
"By bringing in lateral entry in government jobs, you are chopping off the thumb of the youth, backward...people," he said.
Business favoritism
Gandhi raises concerns over Adani's alleged undue advantages
Furthermore, the Congress MP expressed concerns that businessman Gautam Adani was allegedly getting undue advantages from the government. He claimed this was harming small businesses in India.
"The government is giving undue advantage to Gautam Adani, which is harming other small businesses in the country," he said.
Referring to police's action on farmers demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP), he said, "Today, you lobbed tear gas shells on farmers outside Delhi, you unleashed lathi charge."
Argument
Gandhi attacks Adani
"But you facilitate profits to Adani, Ambani and cut off the thumb of farmers. We say Abhayamudra, we say "daro matt." You say, "Hum aapka angootha kaat denge." This is the difference," Gandhi said.
"When you handover Dharavi to Adani, you cut off the thumb of entrepreneurs, small and medium businesses. When you handover India's ports, airports and defence industry to Adani, you cut off the thumbs of all fair play business of India who work honestly," he added.