The uproar in the just-concluded Winter Session of Parliament over the debate on the Constitution of India has once again shed light on the dysfunctionality of the political process in the country. What was intended to be a serious discussion about the foundational document of India’s democracy was reduced to a blame game between the two largest political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). Instead of engaging in a constructive dialogue, both parties pointed fingers at each other, accusing one another of disrespecting the Constitution or misinterpreting its essence. Unfortunately, this verbal sparring overshadowed any meaningful discourse on constitutional principles and the future of Indian democracy.The debate was supposed to be a moment of reflection on the Constitution’s relevance in contemporary India, but it devolved into a political spectacle. The Congress has been vocal in accusing the BJP of undermining the Constitution’s secular and democratic values, pointing to the latter’s policies and actions that the opposition perceives as divisive. On the other hand, the BJP struck back by accusing the Congress of hypocrisy, claiming that the party, during its long rule, failed to adequately safeguard the principles of the Constitution or implement them effectively.
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The lack of substantial dialogue is not only a failure of parliamentary procedures, but also a reflection of the growing political polarisation in India. Both the BJP and Congress have reduced their political engagement to petty rivalry, where each side is more concerned with tarnishing the other's image than with addressing the actual issues at hand. While the Congress laments the alleged erosion of democratic norms under the BJP-led government, the ruling party has been equally quick to highlight the alleged failures of Congress during its reign. The result is a toxic environment that inhibits any progress on the constitutional front. The irony is that the Constitution, written in 1949, is a document that calls for respect for diversity, democracy, secularism, and social justice. It was crafted to safeguard the rights of all citizens, ensuring that every individual, regardless of religion, caste, or gender, is treated equally under the law. Yet, in the present-day political context, both the BJP and Congress seem to be using the Constitution as a tool for scoring political points rather than as a compass for guiding the nation’s future.
This failure to engage in a meaningful discussion over the Constitution was not just a missed opportunity, but it also signals a deeper crisis in the way India’s political discourse is conducted. Political leaders seem more interested in outdoing each other with jabs and rhetoric than in fostering an environment of dialogue and debate. The current state of affairs demonstrates a concerning trend: issues of national importance are being hijacked by party politics, leaving little room for substantive debate that could lead to progressive policy changes. In the end, what India needs is not a partisan brawl over the Constitution, but a reasoned and inclusive debate. The focus should be on reinforcing the values enshrined in the Constitution, while acknowledging the challenges of the present and working together to address them.