New Delhi: Amid a high tension drama unfolding over government formation in Maharashtra, on Constitution Day, the Congress staged a protest on premises of the Parliament boycotting the joint sitting that was underway at the Central Hall.
In a video that surfaced on the internet, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi was seen reading out a copy of the Indian Constitution standing in front of the BR Ambedkar statue, alongside former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party MP Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, among others.
Reading out the preamble of the Constitution, Sonia Gandhi highlighted how the government actions in Maharashtra are contrary to the Constitutional values.
#WATCH #ConstitutionDay: Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi reads a copy of Indian Constitution in front of the Ambedkar Statue in the Parliament. Leaders of Opposition parties are protesting in Parliament premises today, opposing govt formation in Maharashtra by BJP. pic.twitter.com/5QQiN7TMvh
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2019
Speaking to news agency ANI, Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor said, “Today we are protesting against the government which is violating the Constitution one side and celebrating it on the other.”
Speaking on the Opposition boycotting the addresses of PM Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, “It is not a disservice to the Constitution. It’s a reminder to everyone that the constitutional norms are being violated by the present establishment.”
On PM hailing the Constitution, Singh said, “Well I think the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The way the central government has behaved in Maharashtra, it is not certain that constitutional norms are safe in the hands of the present establishment.”
Reacting to the political tussle in Maharashtra and whether the ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’ can form the government, the former PM said, “I hope they (Sena-Congress-NCP) will. We all respect the Supreme Court, we should respect its judgement.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday gave directions to conduct a floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly before 5 PM on November 27.
The 3-judge bench of the top court was hearing a petition jointly filed by the NCP-Congress and Shiv Sena against the formation of BJP-led government in Maharashtra after BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis swore in as the Chief Minister with the support of NCP’s Ajit Pawar, who became the Deputy CM in the wee hours of Monday morning.
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