Siddaramaiah was addressing a gathering during the valedictory ceremony of the two-day Constitution and National Unity Convention.
Siddaramaiah (X)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Sunday, 25 February, that protecting the Constitution, Judiciary and Democracy was the duty of the people of India.
He asserted: “Protecting the Constitution, Judiciary and Democracy is the responsibility of the People of India, Karnataka and not to destabilize or twist it,” he said.
Siddaramaiah was addressing a gathering during the valedictory ceremony of the two-day Constitution and National Unity Convention held at Bengaluru Palace on Sunday.
“We have to dethrone those people (referring to the Narendra Modi-led Union government) from the powers that are against the Constitution to save it,” Siddaramaiah said.
“If the Constitution is protected then we will be able to live or else the poor, Dalits, backward-classes, minorities, women, labour and other oppressed communities will not be able to survive,” he added, appealing to all the people to work towards saving the Constitution.
Students, research scholars, experts, artists and people from many walks of life took part in the two-day convention.
Experts delivered lectures on various topics related to the Constitution, Socio-Economic, Culture, Languages, Nation Building, Employment and Democracy. A total of eight lecture sessions were held in the last two days.
In the valedictory ceremony, chief guests AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, MP Farooq Abdullah, CPI (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja and others criticised the BJP government for reportedly attempting to destabilise the Constitution and appealed the gathering to dethrone – from power – those disrespect the Constitution.
Hitting out at the Narendra Modi-led government, Siddaramaiah cautioned: “If those who have come to change the Constitution are not removed from power, democracy will not survive.”
Addressing the valedictory ceremony, Siddaramaiah said: “Dr BR Ambedkar has studied all the Constitutions of the world and extracted the essence of all and included the rights of social justice in our Constitution.”
ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @siddaramaiah ಅವರು ಅರಮನೆ ಮೈದಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸಂವಿಧಾನ ಮತ್ತು ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಐಕ್ಯತಾ ಸಮಾವೇಶದ ಸಮಾರೋಪ ಸಮಾರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಿದರು. pic.twitter.com/K4aS69u9WL
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) February 25, 2024
“Our constitution is the embodiment of the aspirations of Buddha, Basava, Vachana, Kuvempu, Narayana Guru, Swami Vivekananda and others,” added the chief minister.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Siddaramaiah pointed out: “BJP MP Anantakumar Hegde, who was the minister in Narendra Modi’s Cabinet, had stated that ‘we have come to power to change the Constitution’. Neither PM Modi nor Amit Shah nor the BJP nor the RSS condemned their parliamentarian’s remarks.”
“Anantakumar Hegde revealed the agenda of the BJP and the RSS. The people of this country should wake up,” Siddaramaiah appealed to voters to dethrone the BJP from power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
He further said: “The rights of the working people of this country, farmers, labourers and the women community are hidden in our constitution.”
“By changing the Constitution, all these communities will be forced back into slavery. Remember how Shudra, Dalit and Shramik were treated when there was no Constitution,” said the chief minister.
Kharge delivered a scathing critique of the BJP, highlighting the erosion of democratic values under their regime.
Emphasising the foundational principles of the Indian Constitution, Kharge underscored the vital importance of unity, equity, and the empowerment of marginalised communities.
Drawing upon India’s rich history of democracy and the Congress party’s pivotal role in shaping it, Kharge lamented the current administration’s disregard for constitutional ideals.
The AICC chief pointed to the increasing centralisation of power, attacks on dissent and politicisation of institutions as alarming signs of democratic decay.
Urging for active participation in upholding democratic values, Kharge rallied the Congress party to champion justice and safeguard the integrity of India’s democratic institutions.
“Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.”
~ Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar
Constitution is bedrock of India’s vibrant democratic polity. One of the pristine… pic.twitter.com/5T4qrL9CDw
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 25, 2024
Addressing the gathering Kharge said: “Our nation, born from a passionate struggle for independence, has long thrived on the principles of democracy.”
“As a civilisational entity, India has had a history of over 5,000 years. But it was never a single and united political entity until India got independence and the Congress party integrated 562 princely states within the Indian Union with tact, vision and statesmanship.”
“It was the Congress party which ensured adequate representation of Scheduled Castes in government services and educational institutions through the Poona Pact of 1932,” highlighted Kharge.
Kharge also said that a conflict was sown in the name of freedom fighters, creating divisions in society.
Taking a dig at the Modi’s administration, Kharge said: “Today, we see that conflict is being sown between our freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Dr BR Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhai Patel. They were strong leaders who never compromised on their ideologies.”
Congress government appeals to people to dethrone the BJP from power, citing a threat to democracy during the convention on the Constitution at Bengaluru on Sunday. (supplied)
“They did have strong differences on various issues, but their mutual trust and respect were much stronger,” emphasised the AICC chief.
He pointed: “Following independence, the Congress continued to champion policies aimed at empowering Scheduled Castes, including the enactment of laws such as the Untouchability (Offences) Act, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.”
“However, the ruling party at the centre does not believe in the power of the public sector and has made all efforts to sell it to the hands of a few crony capitalists. This has resulted in an ever-increasing gap between the rich and the poor.”
“As we stand at a crossroads in today’s complex and challenging times, we witness a global surge in the erosion of democratic values. Authoritarianism is on the rise, institutions are weakening, and the rule of law is being disregarded,” Kharge charged.
He continued: “We face challenges that threaten the very foundation of our democratic ideals. The constitutional principles and values which were built and strengthened over time are being destroyed by the current BJP government.”
“The principles of federalism, right to dissent, freedom of the press, and the independence of institutions are under threat. Instances of the Union government withholding funds, the politicisation of disaster relief provided to states, and selective support based on political affiliations challenge the very essence of federalism,” added Kharge.
Stating the civil rights under threat in the BJP’s regime, Kharge said: “Freedom of speech and expression and right to dissent form an essential part of our Constitution. However, we all are witnessing the kind of treatment being meted out to farmers for airing their grievances against the ruling Government. They have been attacked with smoke bombs, rubber bullets, and pellet guns.”
“Thus, Constitutional Democracy and National Unity is not a foregone conclusion; it demands our active participation. As torchbearers of the Congress party, we must take every step to uphold democratic values, champion justice, and safeguard our institutions,” concluded Kharge.
While thousands of people and students participated in the two-day convention on the Constitution and Nation Unit in Bengaluru, the participants not only expressed their gratitude to the government for creating awareness about the Constitution but also appealed to organise similar conventions across Karnataka.
Students are eagerly waiting to get a photocopy of the Preamble at one of the stalls in Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Sunday. (South First)
It is not just the participants, even delegates and veteran politicians including Farooq Abdullah and Sitaram Yechury congratulated Siddaramaiah for organising the two-day convention to create awareness among the people about the Constitution and Nation Unity.
Sowmya R, a high school student at the government school in Gadag, told South First: “Even in our curriculum, we have chapters on the Constitution. We are delighted to be part of this convention. I also got the preamble copy from one of the stalls.”
“We have come all the way from Gadag. The government must organise this event in our district as well. So that the students in our hometown will also get aware of the Constitution and its values,” appealed Soumya.
Kerala-based Sanju Xavier, an assistant professor at a private university, told South First: “This is for the maiden time I am participating in an event where the state government has organised an exclusive convention and awareness programme on the Constitution and Nation Unity, which are the need of the hour.”
“Even the panel discussions, lecture sessions and seminars were informative. The government must organise such events every year across the state and country. These kinds of events will not only create awareness about the Constitution and the nation but also provide a platform for the people to realise their responsibilities as well,” added Sanju.
Activist SM Patil told South First: “The government should declare it as an annual event. These events should not be confined to the state capital, the government must organise it in every district and taluka.”
“No other government in the past had organised such an event exclusively on the Constitution. It is not only the responsibility of the government but also the people to protect the Constitution and stand up whenever it is under threat,” Patil said, expressing gratitude to the government.
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