Buldhana (Maharashtra), Nov 19 (IANS): As part of the 'Save Democracy' initiative, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a special campaign to distribute 100,000 copies of the Indian Constitution to the people of the state.

The programme, a part of the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY), has been taken up by the Maharashtra Congress Scheduled Caste Department led by Siddharth M. Hattiambire, said party officials.

"Since the past eight years of BJP government at the Centre, the Constitution and democracy are under severe threat. So we have decided to distribute the copies of the Constitution to citizens to make them aware of the challenges," said Hattiambire.

He said that the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar, gave India one of the best Constitutions in the world and the democratic system of governance under this Constitution started after Independence.

The Congress leader mentioned how it has preserved and protected the democratic rights of all the people in the country, from the commoners to the powerful, irrespective of caste or religion.

"The spirit of 'Unity in Diversity' was the country's identity until recently, but since the past few years, the BJP regime at the Centre is bent on destroying the Constitution and the nation's democratic ideals," claimed Hattiambire.

A few persons were handed over the first copies of the Constitution in the presence of senior state and central leaders like Rajesh Lilotia, Jairam Ramesh and H.K. Patil, among others, said a party official.