Congress "anti-women", amended Constitution to help "family": Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the Congress party carried out major amendments to the Constitution to brazenly help the "family" and the "dynasty".

She also termed the Congress party as "anti-women" for not passing the Women's Reservation Bill under pressure of its coalition partners.

Initiating the discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India' in the Rajya Sabha, the senior BJP leader said the economic policies of the previous Congress governments for about 50 years did not strengthen the Indian economy.

"Each time the Congress brazenly (amended Constitution)... only to help the family, the dynasty... kept amending the Constitution," she said.

Citing various amendments, including the 42nd Constitutional Amendment and one related to the Shah Bano case, the Finance Minister said none of the amendments passed the test of four criteria -- economic good, social intent, due process, and constitutional spirit.

She said the amendments were not to strengthen democracy but to protect those in power and strengthen the family.

In her speech, she said renowned lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni were both jailed in 1949.

Congress' record of curtailing freedom of speech was not just confined to Sultanpuri and Sahni, she said and highlighted many more instances, including banning of a film called 'Kissa Kursi Ka' just because it questioned the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son.

Sitharaman further said the spree of curtailing the freedom of expression and freedom of press had happened before 1949 and thereafter also during the Congress rule.

The Minister said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru adopted the Soviet Model and was carried forward by Indira Gandhi, but the socialist model did not benefit India.

She said the economic policies followed by the Congress governments for 50 years did not strengthen the economy.

Referring to the women reservation in Parliament and state assemblies, Sitharaman said a bill regarding it was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2008, but the ruling Congress did not take it to the Lok Sabha, as its alliance partners were not in favour of the legislation.

She said Congress is "anti-women" as it did not pass the Women's Reservation Bill to save "Kursi" (power).

Rajiv Gandhi had 426 members in Lok Sabha and 159 members in the Rajya Sabha, they did not have the conviction to pass the Women's Reservation Bill at that time. Very clearly, they have always been anti-women. Shah Bano case is a very clear example, she said.

The Congress Party, she said passed the Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Divorce Act, 1986 which denied Muslim women their right to alimony.

On the other hand, the Modi government brought the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' in the first session, which was held in the new building of the Parliament.

On the contrary, she said her party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has always been committed to women's reservation and increasing women participation in politics. "I myself am a beneficiary of this," the Finance Minister said.

At the start of her speech, she paid homage to the 389 members of the Constituent Assembly, including 15 women, who took up the arduous challenge and prepared the Constitution for India in a very challenging environment.

The Constitution of India "has stood the test of time," she said. "Today we are extremely proud of the way India's democracy is growing."

As the country marks the 75th year of its Constitution, "it is time to reaffirm our commitment to build India, that is Bharat, that shall uphold the spirit enshrined in this sacred document," she said.

Stating that India and its Constitution stands out in a separate league of its own, Sitharaman said post the second World War, over 50 countries had become independent and they had their constitution written.

"But many have changed their constitutions, not just amended them, but literally changed the entire feature of their constitution. But our Constitution has stood the test of time, ofcourse, it yielded itself to very many amendments," she said, adding the amendments were the need of the hour.

Rajya Sabha will debate on the issue on Monday and Tuesday.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said time would not be a constraint and as many speakers willing to speak would be accommodated by extending the duration of the discussion.