Indian Constitution is as Sacred as Bhagavad Gita, Guru Granth Sahib and Bible: Union minister SP Baghel
-
KURUKSHETRA: Union minister of state (MoS) for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj, SP Singh Baghel on Wednesday described the Indian Constitution as a sacred text on par with the sacred Bhagavad Gita, Guru Granth Sahib, and theBible, emphasising that it must be respected and honoured as the foundation of India's democracy.
Notably, the minister did not make any mention of the sacred Quran in his address. He was speaking at a program organised on the occasion of
'
Samvidhan Hatya Diwas
2025'
(Constitution Murder Day 2025) at the Panchayat Bhawan auditorium in Kurukshetra.
Addressing the gathering as the chief guest, minister Baghel said that amendments in the Constitution are acceptable if made in the national interest, but any changes made for personal or political gain amount to the murder of the Constitution. He asserted that the
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) is committed to protecting the Constitution and upholding democratic values.
Prior to his address, the minister visited a special exhibition organised to depict the events surrounding the Emergency imposed in 1975, a period he said widely viewed as a dark chapter in Indian democracy. During the event, individuals who were jailed during the Emergency and their families were honoured with shawls in recognition of their sacrifices.
Baghel highlighted the
symbolic importance of Kurukshetra
, calling it the land where the eternal struggle between
dharma
and
adharma
, and
justice and injustice
, was first understood.
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He said this message, rooted in Indian civilisation, has resonated globally. 'In every age, injustice has ultimately failed. This lesson must not be forgotten, especially by those who attempt to undermine the Constitution,' he remarked.
He also underscored India's democratic heritage, stating, 'Our democracy dates back to the Dwapar and Treta Yugas. In contrast, the United States only has the Statue of Liberty to symbolise its democratic ideals, yet it claims the oldest democracy. Today, India's citizens challenge that claim with pride, as
India remains the world's oldest and largest democracy.
'
The Minister took the opportunity to highlight India's progress on gender inclusion in leadership, stating, 'India has had
two women Presidents
, while the US is yet to elect a woman President.'
Criticising the 1975 Emergency, Baghel called it the only dark blot on Indian democracy. 'It was a time when civil liberties were crushed. Citizens had to go into hiding, businesses were shuttered, farmers could not tend to their fields, and anyone seen outside risked being jailed.
Around 1.1 lakh people, including journalists, were imprisoned. Electricity supply was cut off, and mass sterilisations were conducted.
None of the conditions required to declare an emergency—external threat, internal disturbance, or financial crisis—existed at the time,' he said.
He noted that after the BJP came to power, efforts were made to honour and recognise those who had endured suffering during the Emergency, restoring their dignity in the nation's democratic narrative. The event was attended by several BJP leaders from Kurukshetra.
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