Independence Day 2024: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday greeted people on 78th Independence Day and said “Freedom is our biggest protective shield, woven into constitutional and democratic values”.
He attended the Independence Day event at the Red Fort and later also participated in the flag hoisting ceremony at the AICC headquarters.
“Happy Independence Day to all countrymen. For us, freedom is not just a word – it is our biggest protective shield, woven into constitutional and democratic values,” the former Congress chief said in a post on X. “This is the power of expression, the ability to speak the truth and the hope to fulfil dreams. Jai Hind,” he added.
Mallikarjun Kharge on Independence Day
In his address at the AICC headquarters on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the RSS, saying that the Sangh Parivar promoted Britishers’ divide-and-rule policy for its benefit. Instead of walking the path they showed, the rulers of today are encouraging divisive thinking, he said.
“Unity in diversity is our strength and not a weakness. Some people propagate that we got independence easily but the truth is that lakhs of people made sacrifices, left their homes and even people from well-to-do families spent time in jails,” he said.
Taking a dig at the government’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, he said, “We are happy that they are repenting their mistake of 60 years.”
‘Democracy and Constitution are biggest shields of Indians’
Earlier, in a video message posted on X, Kharge said it is a matter of concern that the government has turned constitutional and autonomous institutions into “puppets. Democracy and the Constitution are the biggest shields for 140 crore Indians, he said and asserted that “we will protect them till our last breath”.
“The opposition is like oxygen for democracy. Along with stopping the unconstitutional attitude of the government, it also raises the issues of the public,” he said. He said that some forces are trying to destroy our brotherhood by “forcibly imposing their views on the country.”
“As the President of the Congress Party, I want to assure all the people that we will continue to fight against unemployment, inflation, poverty, corruption and inequality. Be ready to make every sacrifice to protect the Constitution. This will be the true tribute to our ancestors,” Kharge said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, “Happy Independence Day to the people of the country. Freedom, democracy, justice, equality and unity are our national resolve. These values are the foundation of our Constitution, protecting them is our ultimate duty towards the country.” “Our resolve to protect our freedom, the Constitution and its principles is firm,” she said.