Rights of people being 'eroded' under the BJP govt: Congress prez Kharge

New Delhi: The fundamental and basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution to every Indian are slowly being "eroded" and the government is using emotional issues to divert attention and hide the truth from citizens, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge alleged on Friday.

He said that Congress has resolved to fight for the protection of the Constitution, democracy and justice.

In his message to the citizens on the 75th Republic Day, Kharge said it was on this day India became a Republic breaking the chains of feudalism and colonialism.

He said the Constitution was based on the values of Indian civilisational values of Justice, dignity, equality and equal treatment to all.

This is the foundation for the social, economic, and political transformation of our country, he said.

Justice, equality, fraternity, freedom, brotherhood, secularism, and socialism are India's foundational pillars, he asserted.

"The Constitution ensured fundamental rights, social justice, and political rights to every citizen. Today, these pillars are under attack from the government itself," Kharge alleged.

"The founding fathers of our Constitution ' Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru, Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sardar Patel, Babu Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad and other giants of the Constituent Assembly would not have imagined that the Constitution would face such challenges," he said.

Today, the fundamental and basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution to every Indian, are slowly being "encroached upon and being eroded," he alleged.

"We, the people of India who gave this Constitution to ourselves included Dalits, Tribals, Women, Farmers, and Labourers. Today they are facing assault by the government which is using emotional issues to divert attention and hide the Truth from citizens," Kharge said.

He said poverty is increasing with 7.5 crore people falling back into poverty under the current central dispensation led by the BJP.

"The truth is that due to inflation and falling income, the savings of families are the lowest in 50 years. The truth is that unemployment is at its highest in 45 years, snatching the future of our youth," he said.

"The truth is that today all Constitutional institutions are being hijacked. The truth is that 146 opposition MPs are thrown out of Parliament and important laws are passed without discussion," he said, adding, that even media has been forced to become the government's mouthpiece.

"The attack on the Constitution is part of a well-planned conspiracy. Today the government is run by people who do not believe in our Constitution.

"They did not hoist our flag for many decades. Today, they claim to be patriots," he said, apparently meaning right-wing body RSS, of which BJP is considered a political wing.

Kharge noted that 2024 is an important year for India as the country will decide whether it "will be able to save the values of the Constitution and Democracy or go back to the age where not all people are equal." "The Congress Party has resolved to fight for the protection of the Constitution, Democracy and NYAY," he said.

"The 5 pillars of NYAY: Yuva NYAY, Bhagidari NYAY, Nari NYAY Kisan NYAY Shram NYAY; will empower everyone and protect their rights," he said "Today on Republic Day, let us all come together and make a pledge and join this mission of NYAY. Only then will we be able to secure the future of our youth?

"This will be the victory of our Constitution. This will be the victory of India," he asserted, as he greeted the countrymen on the 75th Republic Day.