In a symbolic gesture that captured the nation’s attention, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects to the Constitution of India during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party meeting at the Samvidhan Sadan in New Delhi on Friday.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) updated its profile picture and cover image on X (formerly Twitter) a day after PM Modi assumed office, with the cover image showcasing the Prime Minister touching the copy of the Constitution with his forehead, a move seen as an attempt to counter the opposition’s claims.
The opposition, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had launched an aggressive campaign around protecting the Constitution, alleging that the BJP would abolish it if it were voted to power with a two-thirds majority. Gandhi’s speeches in public meetings had centered around this narrative, with the Congress leader accusing the government of attempting to “end Baba Saheb’s Constitution and snatch away the rights and reservation from the deprived.”
Reacting to the new cover image, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “This is the direct impact of Rahul Gandhi’s singleminded focus on the protection of the Constitution as the defining issue of the 2024 elections.”
Political observers believe that the opposition’s campaign around the Constitution forced the Dalit and OBC voters in Uttar Pradesh to drift towards the opposition INDIA bloc. BJP ally and the NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad acknowledged that the “slogan 400 plus seats by the BJP created unease among the OBC and Dalit voters as the narrative played by the SP and Congress that BJP was aiming for 400 seats to amend the Constitution caught their imagination.”
Former BJP state unit president Laxmikant Bajpai echoed a similar sentiment, stating that the ‘Save Constitution’ and reservation campaign launched by the opposition created confusion among the OBC and Dalit voters.
The Prime Minister’s gesture to pay respects to the Constitution has been seen as a strategic move to counter the opposition’s narrative and reassure the electorate of the BJP’s commitment to the principles enshrined in the document.
