The Modi-led NDA government, in a surprising show of tolerance (or amusement), has allowed a parliamentary debate on the Indian Constitution—an opposition-demanded spectacle spearheaded by none other than the Congress. The twist? Maximum speaking time has been granted to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra, grandchildren of the infamous “Emergency” architect, Indira Gandhi. Oh, the irony.
Since Narendra Modi’s ascent to power in 2014, the Congress has been screaming itself hoarse about threats to the Constitution. Yet, history offers a different perspective. Was it not Indira Gandhi who muzzled dissent, jailed opposition leaders, and clamped down on freedoms during the Emergency? Wasn’t it her Congress party that dismissed democratically elected state governments a staggering 90 times, including the first Communist government in Kerala under Nehru’s watch? For context, Modi’s government has dismissed zero such governments and amended the Constitution a mere handful of times in its 11-year tenure.
The Congress, however, seems to have selective amnesia. They conveniently overlook their track record of 102 constitutional amendments—many self-serving—and their history of undermining institutions. In 1985, Rajiv Gandhi overturned the Supreme Court’s Shah Bano judgment, blatantly disregarding constitutional principles. Yet, today, his progeny pontificates about constitutional threats with straight faces.
Enter Priyanka Vadra, whose maiden Lok Sabha speech showcased more composure than her brother’s infamous rhetorical gaffes. But even she couldn’t resist Congress’s well-worn tactics—raising unrelated issues like unemployment, crime, and cronyism while glossing over her party’s constitutional sins. Her claim that the Modi government enriches the rich while impoverishing the poor is rich in irony, given her family’s dynastic hold on a party that presided over decades of economic stagnation.
Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, continues his streak of juvenile antics, casting doubt on his capacity for serious debate. It’s almost endearing how Congress, bereft of substantial arguments, falls back on melodramatic slogans like “Samvidhan kathre mein hai” (the Constitution is under threat).
The real threat, however, lies in Congress’s hypocrisy. Their attempts to claim the moral high ground only highlight their own misdemeanors, from suppressing dissent to amending the Constitution for political convenience. By accepting this debate, the BJP has shrewdly laid a trap, exposing the Congress’s lack of credibility.
So, while Priyanka might fancy herself as a modern-day Indira, and Rahul continues to fumble his way through public life, the people of India are no fools. They’ve seen Congress play this game before. The party that dismissed governments, muzzled free speech, and manipulated constitutional norms is now lecturing on safeguarding democracy. As far as absurdities go, this one is Olympic-level.
But hey, if nothing else, at least it makes for great political theatre. Pass the popcorn.
