Congress President Sonia Gandhi and a galaxy of party leaders read out the Preamble of the Constitution and vowed to protect it as they held a five-hour "Satyagraha for Unity" at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Raj Ghat on Monday to show solidarity with youths agitating against the new citizenship law and the proposed NRC.
In a brief address, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to spread hatred and break the country, but warned that the people will not let him attack the Constitution and suppress the "voice of Bharat Mata".
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, A K Antony, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Anand Sharma, Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath were among senior Congress leaders who were part of the demonstration demanding protection of the rights of people as enshrined in the Constitution.
The Congress' protest came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally here that his government has not yet held any deliberation on a pan-India National Register of Citizens, comments seen as a departure from Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion in Parliament on rolling it out.
"What our enemies could not do, is now being done by Narendra Modi to stall the country's progress. He wants to divide the country," Rahul Gandhi alleged while addressing the gathering at the end of the protest.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Nath said their governments will not implement the new citizenship law as it was against the basic principles of the Constitution. Chhattisgarh minister T S Singh Deo, on behalf of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, too said the lehislation will not be implemented in his state.
Several parts of India witnessed widespread protests by students, youths, civil society groups and political parties in the last few days over the controversial citizenship act and against any pan-India NRC.
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In a hard-hitting attack on Modi, Rahul said: "You could not provide jobs to youths, but destroyed the economy. That is why you are hiding behind hate...
"The country will not let you attack Constitution, suppress voice of 'Bharat Mata'."
The Congress has been ramping up attack on the Modi government over the new legislation calling it a "tool" to divide the country.
During the protest, Sonia Gandhi, Singh and Rahul Gandhi read out the Preamble to the Constitution of India. The party members also observed one-minute silence in support of their cause and against the BJP-led government's policies.
After reading out the Preamble in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that in the name of all those "martyred" during the anti-CAA protests, her party resolves to protect the Constitution.
"In the name of Bijnor's 22-year-old Anas, who used to earn money for his family through a coffee-vending machine and had recently got married. In the name of 21-year-old Suleiman, who was studying for the UPSC exam and used to take tuition," she said.
On Sunday, Suleiman's mother told her with tear-filled eyes that her son was "martyred" for his country, she added.
"In the name of all the children who have been martyred in this movement. In the name of Bijnor's Omraj Saini, whose five children are waiting for him and he is in the hospital, injured. In their name, we resolve today that we will protect the Constitution and will not allow it to be destroyed," the Congress general secretary said.
Another Congress general secretary, K C Venugopal, said the programme was organised to remind the government about the strength of India's Constitution.
"This is to show solidarity with all the students of the country who are agitating for the cause of freedom of speech and expression. The country is going through a very difficult period because of the bad policies of this government.
"Our workers are here to express solidarity with our students, youth and those suffering due to the bad policies of the government, especially those protesting against the amended Citizenship Act," he said.
Almost all members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretaries and the party's state in-charges took part in the "Satyagraha".
Some religious leaders were also present there.
The leaders and workers of the party, who sat under the shadow of a huge national flag, joined the Congres top brass in reading out the Preamble to the Constitution.
The Congress had on Friday said the "unconstitutional" legislation will not be implemented in the party-ruled states.
"The identity of India is through its Constitution. We reject this law, and while respecting the Constitution, our government will not implement it," Nath said amid loud cheers from the crowd.
Gehlot alleged that an atmosphere of fear was created by the BJP-led government and that democracy was in danger.
"The prime minister is misleading people over the NRC, saying it was not discussed, while the home minister is saying that the NRC will be implemented. The country understands that they want to divide it on religious lines," he said.
"This is an RSS agenda that they want to implement, but the country will not accept it. They should be ready to face that the country will rebel. In Rajasthan, the CAA and the NRC will not be implemented as they are against the basic principles of the Constitution," Gehlot said, alleging that the ruling BJP used the "mask of democracy" to win elections.
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