New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS): Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha joined the debate trailing the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, and used the opportunity on Monday to hit out at the ruling BJP over its "hate politics." Kharge also responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "jumla" charge at the Congress and said that it’s his government which was fooling people with false promises.

Kharge, speaking in the Upper House, said that it was under the Indira Gandhi government in 1971 that the Indian forces divided Pakistan into two parts and liberated Bangladesh. He also urged the Centre to ensure the safeguarding of Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country.

He said that BJP leaders keep abusing Jawaharlal Nehru as well as Mahatma Gandhi and then go on to give lectures on probity in public life.

“Those who hate Ashok chakra, those who hate the Constitution, they are giving us lectures today,” said the Congress chief.

Further dishing out advice to the ruling BJP, he said that they should first make amends for their own wrongdoings before uncovering the failures of others.

“There have been numerous landmark achievements under past governments but those currently in power are only focused on pointing fingers at former regimes. Have you come here to spread canards, dig out mistakes of the past or participate in a healthy discussion on the Constitution,” Kharge said.

Kharge also hit out at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) over its ‘disdain’ for the national flag and said that it was only after the court order that it hoisted the Tricolour at its headquarters in 2002.

“In 1949, the RSS leaders opposed the Constitution of India because it was not based on Manusmriti. They never accepted the National Flag. It was on January 26, 2002, that Tiranga was unfurled at the RSS headquarters for the first time on court orders,” Kharge remarked.

Responding to PM Modi’s ‘jumla’ charge at the Congress, during his reply to the Constitution debate in Lok Sabha, Kharge said, “You accuse us of speaking lies. You are the biggest liar. You promised Rs 15 lakh in people’s bank accounts, you promised two crore jobs, you promised to double the income of farmers. None of this has been done yet.”

Accusing the Prime Minister of befooling and betraying the nation, he said that had schemes like MNREGA, food security (brought under UPA) were not in operation, the country would have been on its knees during the Covid pandemic.

Further rebutting PM’s charge that the Constitution was illegally amended for the first time between 1947-52, he said that it was because of the hatred for Nehru that the Prime Minister had been finding faults with him.