NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a symbolic gesture during the oath-taking ceremony on the first day of the 18th Lok Sabha session by showing a copy of the Constitution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This act was captured in a video shared by the Congress party, where Gandhi is seen holding up the Constitution as PM Modi took his oath.
Gandhi’s move was a clear statement against what he perceives as ongoing attacks on the Constitution by the Prime Minister and Home Minister Amit Shah. Speaking to reporters, Gandhi emphasized, “The attack that the PM and Amit Shah are launching on the Constitution is not acceptable to us, we will not let this happen. So, we held the Constitution while taking the oath. Our message is going across, no power can touch the Constitution of India.”
Prime Minister Modi, who secured his Varanasi seat, was sworn in for his third consecutive term earlier this month, along with his Council of Ministers on June 9. Leading the oath-taking ceremony, he was the first to take the oath in Hindi, accompanied by chants of “Jai Shri Ram” from the treasury benches.
The opening day of the 18th Lok Sabha’s inaugural session saw a show of unity from the INDIA bloc MPs, who gathered in the Parliament complex, marching to the Lok Sabha while chanting slogans to “save Constitution.” Prominent opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Trinamool Congress’ Sudip Bandyopadhyay, and DMK’s TR Baalu, joined Gandhi in this demonstration. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was also present, underscoring the solidarity among opposition members.
The 18th Lok Sabha’s first session began on Monday morning, with a schedule set for debating the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address starting on June 28. Prime Minister Modi is expected to respond to the debate on July 2 or 3, marking a significant moment in this new parliamentary session.
