Rahul Gandhi: Constitution a weapon, but meaningless without institutions

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 9

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said the Constitution was a potent weapon for social and economic transformation, but meaningless in the absence of institutional backing.

In wide ranging remarks during the launch of a book on Dalit struggles, edited by Congress leader K Raju, Rahul alleged that the RSS controlled all institutions and the CBI and ED were “manipulating the political system”.

CBI & ED control political system

We talk of protecting the Constitution, but how is it implemented? It is implemented by institutions. All institutions are in the hands of RSS. The CBI and ED control the political system. Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader

Rahul revealed that the Congress had approached BSP chief Mayawati for alliance in the recent UP elections and offered her the CM’s post, but “she refused to even talk, gave a clear passage (to BJP)”. “Why? Because of the CBI.”

Recalling the 2016 Una Dalit flogging case and subsequent attempted deaths by suicide by some SC youths of Gujarat, he noted, “When I met these youths in the ICU, I thought had I been in their place I would have killed my tormentor before killing myself. I asked one of them if he had a knife at home and he said he could not even kill his tormentors because if he did, he would be reborn a Dalit.”

Rahul’s remarks came during the launch of the Penguin publication, “The Dalit Truth: The Battles for Realising Ambedkar’s Vision”.

“I love my country and feel indebted to it for the affections it has showered on me. Like a true lover, I want to understand India,” Rahul said speaking of atrocities against SCs and specifically about the Una case involving assault on SCs.

He said, “Constitution is the weapon of India, but it is meaningless without institutions. We talk of protecting the Constitution, but how is it implemented? All institutions are in the hands of RSS. This assault goes back to the days when Gandhiji was killed.”

“The Congress & Dr BR Ambedkar gave India a weapon — our Constitution. But RSS’s capture of institutions has undermined it. Dalits, minorities, Adivasis and other weaker sections pay the price of this subversion. Our fight back must follow the path shown by Bapu, Nehru ji & Babasaheb,” Rahul tweeted.

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