JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan exposes Congress' anti-Constitution misdeeds

New Delhi: Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh on Monday slammed the opposition in Lok Sabha, saying the Congress and the Gandhi family should not talk about protecting the Constitution as they "destroyed" the statute and imprisoned many leaders during the Emergency.

"I declare the Congress party as anti-Constitution," Singh, whose JD (U) in part of the ruling NDA, said while intervening in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address.

He said the name of the Gandhi family would be mentioned in the "black chapter" of Indian history.

Singh that many opposition members came to the House with a copy of the Constitution even though it was the Congress that "shattered and tarnished" it.

"They do not have any right to discuss the Constitution and also hold it in their hands... You people have nothing to do with the Constitution," Singh said.

Targeting the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, he alleged his address was similar to his election campaign speeches and accused him of misleading people and attacking constitutional institutions.

He also said that the SP and the DMK should not support a party that has "destroyed" the Constitution.

"I urge you (SP and DMK) not to support the Congress," Singh said adding that the people have rejected the opposition in the just concluded general elections.

Further, he said, that the opposition raised questions over the election process and EVMs (electronic voting machines), but "if the machines are not good, how did the TMC form its government in West Bengal and the Congress in Himachal Pradesh".

"The threat to the Constitution is from the Congress party, not from Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the JD (U) leader said.

He said that people voted for Modi for the third consecutive term to continue the fight against corruption and the work for the uplift of the poor and farmers.

It is Modi's resolution to make India a developed nation and the third largest economy of the world, Singh said.

The Munger (Bihar) MP added that the Modi government has taken and is taking steps to help farmers and push the country's economic growth.

Participating in the discussions, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant urged the President to intervene whenever something wrong is done.

"You (President) also have the right to pull ears, you did not pull ears," the Mumbai (South) MP said.

He also criticised the use of words by Prime Minister Modi during the election campaign.

Referring to ruling party members talking about Emergency, Sawant urged the treasury benches not to talk about "old wounds".

He said that the NDA government is not against corruption as they formed the government in Maharashtra with the help of people who were called corrupt by the prime minister himself.

He lamented that nobody is bothered and ready to discuss the alleged Rs 30 lakh crore "scam" of the stock market where retail investors lost their savings.

NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP from Shirur Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, Amol Kolhe, said that the government is talking about the Indian economy being the 5th largest in the world but not about borrowings.

"When and how are we going to repay that," he asked.

He said that despite providing free food grains to 80 crore poor people, "India's rank in the hunger index is 111 out of 125".

Kolhe also demanded a cut in the GST rates on agri equipment.

He alleged that by imposing an export ban on onion, the NDA government supported Pakistani onion farmers.

Referring to man-leopard conflicts in his constituency, he said the government should consider leopard reproduction control.

He also suggested extending the reservation to Marathas without affecting the OBC quota.