Cong anti-women, amended Constitution to help dynasty: FM Sitharaman in RS

In a no-holds-barred attack on the Congress in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday accused the grand old party of carrying out major amendments to the Constitution "brazenly to help the family and the dynasty".

She also alleged that it was "anti-woman" for failing to get the women's reservation bill passed when it was in power.

Initiating the discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India' in the Rajya Sabha, the senior BJP leader said the economic policies of the previous Congress governments for about 50 years did not strengthen India's economy and restricted growth.

 

She noted that the living document -- the Constitution -- has faced many amendments in the last seven decades.

In her nearly 80-minute speech, she mentioned various amendments to the Constitution during the era of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, which were aimed at strengthening the "family" and failed on the other tests of economic and social good besides constitutional spirit and processes.

She also highlighted the Constitutional amendments and changes to the Preamble during the Emergency and denial of alimony to Muslim women in the wake of Shah Bano judgement.

"Each time the Congress brazenly (amended Constitution), only to help the family. The dynasty kept amending the Constitution, and this is how far they went even if it affects any particular woman who desperately needed the benefit," she alleged while referring to the Shah Bano case.

"The alteration of the Preamble to include 'Socialist and Secular' highlights the disrespect and disregard the Congress has for constitutional processes, principles and institutions. The amendments were not about strengthening democracy, but for protecting those in power...again, the process is used for strengthening the family," she alleged while referring to the Congress first family.

She also claimed that Nehru brought in the first amendment in the Constitution in 1951, even when there was no elected government and issues like freedom of speech and expression triggered it.

She added that even while Nehru publicly praised the freedom of the press, he deplored press scrutiny of his government.

Citing various amendments, including the 42nd Constitutional Amendment and one related to the Shah Bano case, the finance minister said none of the amendments passed the test of four criteria -- economic good, social intent, due process and constitutional spirit.

She said the amendments were not to strengthen democracy but to protect those in power and strengthen the family.

In her speech, she said renowned lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni were both jailed in 1949.

The Congress' record of curtailing freedom of speech was not just confined to Sultanpuri and Sahni, she said and highlighted many more instances, including the banning of a film called 'Kissa Kursi Ka' just because it questioned the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son.

Sitharaman further said the spree of curtailing the freedom of expression and freedom of the press had happened before 1949 and thereafter also during the Congress rule.

Referring to the women reservation in Parliament and state assemblies, Sitharaman said a bill regarding it was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2008, but the ruling Congress did not take it to the Lok Sabha as its alliance partners were not in favour of the legislation.

She said the Congress is "anti-women" as it did not pass the Women's Reservation Bill to save "Kursi" (power).

Rajiv Gandhi had 426 members in the Lok Sabha and 159 members in the Rajya Sabha, they did not have the conviction to pass the Women's Reservation Bill at that time. Very clearly, they have always been anti-women. Shah Bano case is a very clear example, she said.

The Congress Party, she said, passed the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Divorce Act, 1986, which denied Muslim women their right to alimony.

On the other hand, the Modi government brought the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' in the first session, which was held in the new building of Parliament.

On the contrary, she said, her party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always been committed to women's reservation and increasing women's participation in politics.

"I, myself, am a beneficiary of this," the finance minister said.

Sitharaman said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru adopted the Soviet Model and was carried forward by Indira Gandhi, but the socialist model did not benefit India.

"The Soviet model, which the Congress Party copied under Prime Minister Nehru (and it) continued with Indira Gandhi, was a model which did not do any good to this country," the minister said.

Sitharaman further said the Congress keeps questioning the BJP, RSS, and Jan Sangh about their role during the freedom movement.

"We all know it, and we've said it, but I want to ask the Congress, what is your role in the Arthik, India's economic freedom? What is India's economic growth? What is your effort in building the economic strength of India?" she wondered.

The minister said the Congress party dumped the license quota raj later on and brought economic reforms.

"You don't have to reform if it was so good, it was damaging the Indian economy and socialism was therefore brought in into the Constitution's preamble through the 42nd Amendment Act, only to prove that they are doing the right thing...," she added.

She said the economic policies followed by the Congress governments for 50 years did not strengthen the economy.

At the start of her speech, she paid homage to the 389 members of the Constituent Assembly, including 15 women, who took up the arduous challenge and prepared the Constitution for India in a very challenging environment.

The Constitution of India "has stood the test of time", she said. "Today, we are extremely proud of the way India's democracy is growing."  As the country marks the 75th year of its Constitution, "it is time to reaffirm our commitment to build India, that is Bharat, that shall uphold the spirit enshrined in this sacred document", she said.

Stating that India and its Constitution stand out in a separate league of its own, Sitharaman said that post the Second World War, over 50 countries had become independent and had their constitution written.

"But many have changed their constitutions, not just amended them, but, literally changed the entire feature of their constitution. But our Constitution has stood the test of time, of course, it yielded itself to very many amendments," she said, adding that the amendments were the need of the hour.

The Rajya Sabha will debate on the issue on Monday and Tuesday.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said time would not be a constraint and as many speakers willing to speak would be accommodated by extending the duration of the discussion.