Congress leader and newly elected MP from Kerala's Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, made her maiden speech in the Lok Sabha (LS) today, during a debate commemorating the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution.
In her inaugural speech in LS, Priyanka Gandhi accused the BJP-led government of eroding constitutional values and neglecting pressing issues that threaten justice and national cohesion. She claimed that PM Modi remained unmoved by incidents of violence in places like Sambhal and Manipur and suggested he had failed to understand that the Constitution is a protective shield of justice, not the rule book of the Sangh. She alleged that the BJP government has spent the past decade attempting to weaken these pillars of democracy.
Targeting the PM Modi, she said, ‘The prime minister touches his forehead to the Constitution, but when cries for justice come from Sambhal, Hathras, or Manipur, there is not a wrinkle on his forehead.’ She alleged that the Modi government was giving undue favouritism towards industrialist Gautam Adani at the expense of the Indian population.
Priyanka Gandhi also highlighted the contributions of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who she said laid the foundation of modern India by establishing key institutions like HAL, BHEL, SAIL, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, Railways, IITs, IIMs, and various PSUs. She said that despite the ruling government's attempts to erase the name of the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, from books and speeches, his role in the Independence struggle and nation-building cannot be written off.
Reacting to her speech, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described it as ‘excellent,’ while LS Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said, ‘It was better than my maiden speech.’ While, BJP MP Ravi Kishan criticised the speech, calling it ‘weak’ and full of ‘errors.’ He said, ‘PM Modi will give a fitting reply to all opposition leaders tomorrow.’