New Delhi: The Congress Thursday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had distorted Rahul Gandhi’s remarks as it defended the Leader of the Opposition from flak over his “fighting the Indian state” comment, citing the definition of ‘state’ in Article 12 of the Indian Constitution.
On Wednesday, during the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said the party was fighting not just the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), but the “Indian state itself”, commenting on the “capture of institutions” by the ruling party and its ideological mentor, the RSS.
Addressing a press conference at the Akbar Road Congress office, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel argued that Rahul Gandhi’s assessment was “absolutely correct”.
He said the Congress was having to fight against the institutions of the Indian state. “These institutions are responsible for protecting justice, equality and democracy, but they have been captured by the RSS-BJP.”
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“Today we can see what the role of the Election Commission has been in the country. The BJP people are not allowing the Parliament to function despite being in power. ED, Income Tax Department and CBI are being misused,” Baghel said. “That is why Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress is fighting with these organisations as well. This is the meaning of the state, which has been defined in Article 12.”
Under Article 12, in the Fundamental Rights section of the Constitution, “the State” includes the Government and Parliament of India, the government and legislature of each state, and all local or other authorities within India’s territory or under the control of the Government of India.
Pawan Khera, the chairperson of the Congress’s Media and Publicity Department, also said that there was nothing wrong in what Rahul said, arguing that the actions undertaken by government institutions show that they have become “puppets in the hands” of the RSS.
“Why else do institutions like the ED seem to remember the addresses of only opposition leaders? They have conveniently forgotten the addresses of Himanta Biswa Sarma, Praful Patel, Ajit Pawar. We will not tolerate the government and its machinery turning into puppets of an unregistered organisation,” Khera said.
Baghel also slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over the remarks he made in Indore Tuesday. Bhagwat said that India achieved “true independence” on the day that the Ram Temple was consecrated—22 January 2024.
Rahul Wednesday accused Bhagwat of committing “treason” by making that statement.
Baghel said Bhagwat’s remarks were “perfectly in tune with strong opposition of the RSS to the constitution, which they want to change”.
“Don’t forget, it took 51 years for the RSS to accept and recognise the national tricolor,” he added.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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