Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress during the debate to mark the Constitution’s 75th anniversary in Rajya Sabha. She accused the grand old party of repeatedly trying to undermine the Constitution through amendments.

Targeting India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the Finance Minister referred to the first Constitutional amendment in 1951, adding that it was essentially to curb the freedom of speech and expression. Mentioning that though India even today prides itself on the freedom of expression, she claimed that the first interim government came up with a Constitutional amendment to curb the freedom of speech of Indians. She explained the amendment was because the first Prime Minister deplored press scrutiny of his government even as he publicly praised the freedom of press. 

 Additionally, Nirmala Sitharaman also referred to the arrest of poet-lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni in 1949. She pointed out that during one of the meetings organised for mill workers, Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem that was written against Jawaharlal Nehru. Therefore, he had to go to jail, she claimed. The Finance Minister asserted that when the poet refused to render an apology and was jailed along with Balraj Sahni, an eminent actor of those days. Taking a swipe at Congress’s Constitution pitch, she added that is the level of tolerance and today they hold the Constitution in their hand and say freedom of speech, there is a sense of fear in our country.

She also remarked that the Congress government banned a book, Nehru: A Political Biography, by Michael Edwardes and a film, Kissa Kursi Ka, in 1975 because it questioned Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, her son and also the Information and Broadcasting Minister then. She added that in 1988 Salman Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses was banned. So, this spree of curtailing the freedom of expression, containing freedom of press happened before 1949 and continues after 1951, she asserted.

Finance Minister Sitharaman said that the amendments brought by Congress governments were not aimed at strengthening democracy but to shield those in power. She said that in the aftermath of the Second World War, more than 50 countries became independent and framed their Constitution. But while many of them have changed it completely, India’s Constitution has stood the test of time, she exclaimed.

She hailed that today they are extremely proud of the way India’s democracy is growing. She underlined that it is time to reaffirm their commitment to build India, that is Bharat, that shall uphold the spirit enshrined in this sacred document.

She further referred to amendments brought in to nullify an Allahabad High Court judgment in 1975 against Indira Gandhi in an election malpractices case. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also referred to the Shah Bano case during Rajiv Gandhi’s term as Prime Minister. After the judgment from the Supreme Court in the Shah Bano case, the Congress passed the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Divorce Act 1986 which denied Muslim women their right to alimony, she noted.

Additionally, referring to the imposition of the Emergency in 1975, she said that the amendments were not about strengthening democracy but protecting those in power.

The swearing-in ceremony of the Mahayuti cabinet is underway in Nagpur in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Reportedly, 39 MLAs are being sworn in as ministers 

Many Shiv Sena and NCP MLAs are set to be inducted into the council of ministers, reflecting the alliance’s push to finalise its governance team. Reports stated that while 20 MLAs from the BJP are set to become ministers, the party is likely to keep some ministerial positions vacant. Furthermore, 13 MLAs from the Shiv Sena quota and 10 from the NCP quota are being sworn in. The list of portfolios is likely to be announced by tonight after the searing-in ceremony. 

Notably, BJP’s state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule was the first to be sworn in as cabinet minister. Another BJP candidate who took oath as a minister was Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, who was earlier with the Shinde party as a revenue minister.

Beside the aforesaid BJP leaders, Girish Mahajan, Ganesh Naik, Chandrakant Patil, Mangalprabhat Lodha, Jaykumar Rawal, Pankaja Munde, Atul Save, Ashok Uike, Ashish Shelar, Sanjay Savkare, Jaykumar Gore, Shivendra Raje Bhosale, Ashish Shelar will take oath as ministers.

From SHIV SENA, Gulabrao Patil, Dada Bhuse, Sanjay Rathod, Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Sanjay Shirsat, Pratap Sarnaik, Bharatshet Gogawale will be sworn-in as ministers. NCP leaders Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Dattatray Bharne, Narhari Jhirwal, Manikrao Kokate, Aditi Sunil Tatkare will also take oath as ministers.

Reportedly, the BJP, which holds a significant share of cabinet berths, is expected to bring in new faces during the expansion. Furthermore, the BJP is likely to hand over the housing ministry to the Shiv Sena in the Maharashtra cabinet expansion while retaining the home ministry.

Reports said that both Shiv Sena and NCP are expected to keep the portfolios they held in the previous Mahayuti government, with the Shiv Sena gaining one additional ministry.

Additionally, the BJP is likely to retain major departments like revenue, education, power and irrigation. NCP is likely to keep the finance, cooperative, agriculture and sports portfolios.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju slammed Congress General Secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Parliament boring. The Union Minister said that Priyanka Gandhi made such remarks as she is new to the Parliament, and she did not understand the Prime Minister’s vision. 

Reacting to the PM’s 100 minute speech, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra compared it to a double period of Mathematics in school, mentioning it to be unengaging and lacked novelty. She further remarked that the Prime Minister has not spoken anything new. She claimed that the Prime Minister has bored the Parliamentarians. 

Responding to Gandhi’s remarks, Kiren Rijiju defended PM Narendra Modi’s address, stressing its significance. He added that maybe Priyanka Gandhi did not understand what the Prime Minister was saying, but everything Narendra Modi said was correct. 

He emphasized that PM Narendra Modi outlined 11 mantras for making India a developed nation. The Union Minister further underlined that the mantra is not for any single party but a collective mission, which all have to follow. Kiren Rijiju stated that they must work together to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2027. He added that whatever PM Modi said, they need to unite and make India a developed nation.   

Speaking during the Lok Sabha debate on the 75-year journey of India’s Constitution on Saturday, Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of failing to honour Dr BR Ambedkar appropriately. He also demanded an apology from the party to lessen its sins, alleging that the Congress initially excluded Ambedkar from the cabinet and later made him lose the 1952 parliamentary election. He further questioned why the Bharat Ratna was conferred on Ambedkar only in 1990, decades after his contributions. 

The Union Minister dismissed claims that minorities lack safety and rights in India. Mentioning Article 15 of the Constitution, he stated that India has always ensured equal rights and opportunities for all, including minorities. He added that India is one of the first countries to grant universal suffrage. He also highlighted that the Constitution protects the freedom of religion and minority interests.