'Yet another headline-grabbing exercise in hypocrisy': Jairam Ramesh on Constitution Murder Day

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh launched a verbal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the announcement by the Government of India declaring June 25 as "Constitution Murder Day." The decision commemorates the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975, which has been a subject of contentious debate in Indian political history.

In a series of tweets on Friday, Ramesh criticized PM Modi, referring to him as "non-biological" and accusing him of hypocrisy regarding the Emergency declaration. Ramesh's tweets highlighted Modi's alleged role in imposing what he termed an "undeclared Emergency" during his tenure before suffering a significant electoral defeat on June 4, 2024.

"This is a non-biological PM who has subjected the Constitution of India and its principles, values, and institutions to systematic assault," Ramesh tweeted, lambasting Modi's government for undermining democratic norms and constitutional values.

Ramesh further criticized Modi's ideological stance, linking it to historical rejection of the Indian Constitution's founding principles. "This is a non-biological PM whose ideological parivar had rejected the Constitution of India in Nov 1949 on the grounds that it did not derive inspiration from Manusmriti," he tweeted, accusing Modi's worldview of reducing democracy to mere pursuit of power.

The declaration of "Constitution Murder Day" by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah stirred significant controversy. Shah, in his statement, described June 25, 1975, as a day when democracy was stifled by the imposition of Emergency, leading to widespread arrests and media suppression. The decision to observe this day annually aims to honor those who fought against the authoritarian measures of that time.

Reacting to the government's move, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh criticized the BJP, alleging that the declaration was an attempt to divert attention from contemporary issues and policy failures. "Indira Gandhi faced criticism, lost elections, and then returned to power. This chapter is history, yet the BJP is attempting to deflect from its current failures," Ghosh stated at a press conference.

Similarly, AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar accused the BJP of ongoing assaults on the Constitution since coming to power in 2014. "The BJP has systematically undermined the Constitution every day since 2014, exemplified by policies like electoral bonds," Kakkar told ANI, underscoring ongoing concerns about democratic erosion.