Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday pledged to defend the Indian Constitution, declaring that he would be the first to stand up against any attack on it. Calling the Constitution the “protective shield of the poor and the deprived,” Gandhi urged citizens to unite in safeguarding the democratic values that define India.
In a post on X, Gandhi wrote, “The Constitution of India is not just a book; it is a sacred promise made to every citizen — ensuring equality, respect, and justice regardless of religion, caste, region, or language. As long as the Constitution is protected, the rights of every Indian are protected. Let us pledge that we will not allow any attack on it. It is my duty to protect it, and I will be the first to stand up against any assault.”
Marking Constitution Day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also called upon citizens to defend the core values of justice, equality, freedom, secularism, and socialism. Quoting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Kharge said the Constitution is not merely a legal document but “a way of life” that upholds the unity, integrity, and democratic spirit of India.
“We remember the invaluable contributions of the framers of our Constitution — from Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru to Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Maulana Azad, Rajendra Prasad, Sarojini Naidu, and Babasaheb Ambedkar,” Kharge said, adding that it was the duty of every citizen to uphold these ideals for peace and harmony.
The Congress party also recalled that on November 26, 1949, Dr. Ambedkar presented the draft Constitution in the Constituent Assembly, a moment that has since been commemorated as Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas) since 2015. The party alleged that both Ambedkar and the Constitution had faced “ferocious assaults” from those opposed to its egalitarian principles — an indirect reference to the RSS.
As India celebrated 76 years since the adoption of its Constitution, the Congress reiterated its commitment to defending democracy, ensuring social justice, and upholding the rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution of India.
