New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised Opposition leaders, saying those “who dance with a copy of the Constitution on their head” had, during their tenure, maintained unjust and regressive laws, undermining the spirit of the Constitution.
Speaking at an event in the national capital after inaugurating two expressways, the prime minister added that opposition parties have been unable to accept the BJP’s success in Delhi and its neighbouring states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
“Those who dance with the Constitution on their heads—how they trampled it and betrayed Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision—I am going to tell you the truth,” Modi said. “You will be astonished when you hear this. Our sanitation workers in Delhi shoulder enormous responsibilities, and we should thank them every morning.”
He recalled that previous governments treated sanitation workers harshly. Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, he said, sanitation workers could be jailed for a month if they failed to report for duty without prior notice. “What did they think of sanitation workers? That a small mistake deserved imprisonment,” Modi asked.
The prime minister pointed out that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition members are often seen carrying copies of the Constitution, pledging to protect it from what they view as the BJP’s encroachments.
Modi added that many opposition parties, which now emphasise social justice, had previously enacted regressive laws. He noted that the government is identifying and repealing such laws, and that hundreds have already been scrapped with the process ongoing.
Highlighting the political landscape, Modi observed that BJP governments are currently in power in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. He said this reflects the people’s blessings upon the party and its leadership, and emphasised that the government is committed to the development of the Delhi-NCR region.
The prime minister also criticised certain political parties for failing to accept the public mandate and remaining disconnected from both public trust and ground realities. He recalled attempts made a few months ago to create tension between Delhi and Haryana residents, including false claims that Haryana was poisoning Delhi’s water supply, and asserted that Delhi and the NCR are now free from such divisive politics.
