Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the PM has not read the Constitution despite organising Constitution Day celebrations. Gandhi remarked that if Modi had read the Constitution, he would not act as he does daily.

"Narendra Modi ji and the BJP government organised a function in Parliament on the occasion of Constitution Day. This is India's Constitution, and I guarantee you, Narendra Modi ji has not read it. Had he read this book, he wouldn't be doing what he has been doing every day," Gandhi said while addressing the Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyan (Save Constitution Campaign) event at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi.

The Constitution and the 'save the Constitution' calls have been focal points of political contention between the Congress and the BJP in recent times.

"Does it [the Constitution] have Savarkar ji's voice? Is it written somewhere that violence should be used, people should be killed, or that the government should be run by using lies? This is a book of truth and non-violence," remarked Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

He called the Constitution a “book of truth and non-violence” that embodies the “ideas of social empowerment championed by Dr Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule, Lord Buddha, and Gandhi ji”.

During his speech, Gandhi’s microphone was abruptly turned off. Referring to this, he said, "In this country, for the last 3,000 years, whoever talks about Dalits, tribals, backward classes, or the poor has had their mic switched off”.

“When the mic was switched off, many people came and told me to go and sit. I said I will not sit; I will stand. Switch off the mic as much as you want--I will say what I want to say. Behind me is Rohith Vemula's photo; he wanted to speak, but his voice was taken away," Gandhi added.

Earlier in the day, the Congress leader attended the Constitution Day event in Parliament, where President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

(indiatoday)