‘Blank Copies’ Of Constitution At Rahul Gandhi’s Event Draw BJP’s ‘Urban Naxal’ Barb For Congress

Last Updated:November 07, 2024, 19:18 IST

The feud began when Maharashtra BJP uploaded a video of blank copies of the Constitution at the Nagpur event led by Rahul Gandhi.

An intense war of words has erupted between the Maharashtra Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the latter accused the Congress of distributing “blank copies of the Constitution” at an event led by Rahul Gandhi in Nagpur.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha who addressed the ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ in Nagpur on Wednesday said he assured her that the Congress will not let the Constitution be harmed at any cost. He also carried a slim copy of the Constitution with a red cover, which became the talk of the town.

Maharashtra Deputy CM and BJP leader accused the Congress leader of building a coalition of anarchists and claimed Gandhi was seeking help from ‘Urban Naxals’. Reacting to the statement, Rahul Gandhi said Fadnavis’ thinking was an insult to Dr BR Ambedkar and reiterated his promise for a caste census.

“According to the former BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra, showing Babasaheb’s Constitution and raising voice for caste census is a Naxalite idea! This thinking of the BJP is an insult to the Constitution maker, Maharashtra’s son Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar,” Gandhi said.

“The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate any insult to Babasaheb by the BJP – together with the Congress and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, they will defend our Constitution by responding with full force to every attack on it. The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate any insult to Babasaheb by the BJP – together with the Congress and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, they will defend our Constitution by responding with full force to every attack on it,” he added.

Furore Over ‘Blank Copies’ Of Constitution At Rahul Gandhi’s Event

The Maharashtra BJP uploaded a video on the X platform, showing the books with ‘Constitution of India’ written on the cover had blank pages except the preamble on the front. They also particularly highlighted Rahul Gandhi’s red book in the Nagpur event.

“The Congress wants to erase India’s Constitution. They want to remove all the laws and articles formulated by Dr BR Ambedkar. That’s why Rahul Gandhi recently spoke about abolishing reservations,” said the Maharashtra BJP.

“Remember, the Constitution and the respected Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar are not just election issues; they are the foundation of India and the life of every Indian. So, the people will teach a lesson to the anti-constitutional Congress,” it added.

The Congress hit back furiously, accusing it of being scared of Rahul Gandhi’s event in Nagpur and spreading a false narrative. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said a notepad was given to the dignitaries who had attended the ‘Samvidhan Samman Sammelan’ and making frivolous accusations showed a complete lack of intelligence on BJP’s part.

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Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Red Book’ At Nagpur Event Sparks Row

With less than two weeks to go for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, the war of words between the two main parties has intensified with BJP trying to portray Rahul Gandhi as anti-reservation and anti-Constitution.

The red-coloured copy of the Indian Constitution carried by Rahul Gandhi became the subject of political tussle in the poll-bound state as it is often associated with the Marxist or communist ideology.

“What message does Rahul Gandhi want to give by showing a red copy of the Constitution of India?” asked Fadnavis at a campaign rally in Sangli district as he accused the Congress leader of building a “coalition of anarchists”.

“My allegations made two days back against Rahul Gandhi have proved true about his inclination towards ‘urban Naxals’. He showed the red book and tried seeking help (politically) from urban Naxals and anarchists. Gandhi has shown disregard for the country’s Constitution,” the BJP leader claimed.

In response, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole said the BJP was rattled by Gandhi’s event “near its stronghold” in Nagpur. “Fadnavis, in his nervousness, is making false allegations to defame Rahul Gandhi. In Hinduism, red is considered auspicious, yet the BJP finds it impure. Those who oppose the Constitution have no right to decide whether a copy of the Constitution should be red, yellow or black. Do the BJP and Fadnavis equate saving the Constitution with urban Naxalism?” he said.

‘Very Same Constitution PM Wants Replaced’

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also slammed Fadnavis for his remarks, saying the Deputy CM was getting desperate. “This book which Mr Fadnavis is taking objection to is the Constitution of India, of which Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was the main architect. This is the very same Constitution of India which the RSS had attacked in November 1949 as not having been inspired by Manusmriti,” he added.

“It is the very same Constitution of India that the non-biological PM wants replaced,” the Congress leader said. The party also asserted that the BJP’s strategy is to “end the Constitution by making false accusations against those who saved the Constitution”.