AMN /
The Rajya Sabha today resumed discussion on Commitment to India’s Constitution as part of 125th birth anniversary celebration of Dr B R Ambedkar. Speaking in the discussion, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said it is time for all to think how far the expectations of founding fathers of the Constitution have been achieved during the last 68 years. He said it is the responsibility of all to address the problems of the people relating to regional imbalances, religion, caste and creed and reservation for women in Parliament.
He said the country is yet to achieve common civil code, which will strengthen national unity. He said the incidents of intolerance should be addressed saying that mutual respect brings tolerance. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the real tribute to the architect of the Constitution is to follow his vision for the development of the country.
Participating in the discussion, Praful Patel of the NCP said, it is not just tolerance and inequality, many things have happened over the years. He said, all parties instead of trying to take political mileage by invoking name of Dr B R Ambedkar, should focus on strengthening the Constitution and Constitutional institutions.
BSP Chief Mayawati called for introspection into implementation of the Constitution. Participating in the discussion, she said simply observing 26th of every November as Constitution Day is not enough. She said the real tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, will be to ensure the uplift of the poor and downtrodden.
M J Akbar of BJP said it was Dr Ambedkar who pointed out that rights without remedy has no meaning and instead that reservation be incorporated in the Constitution. Congress member Ashwani Kumar said Indian Constitution is meant to serve the people and amendments should not be made for political motives. Mr Kumar said, Dr Ambedkar had agreed that there was no need to incorporate the word secularism in the Constitution. Discussion remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow.
K T S Tulsi, nominated, said he always believed that the Constitution of India is the best Constitution in the world and secularism is its cornerstone. He said, the Home Minister should not forget that the Constitution was made at a time of Partition which experienced most gruesome killing of more than a million people, more were raped, when hundreds and thousands of houses were burnt and many more million people were uprooted from one part of the country to the other.