The red cover of a copy of the Indian Constitution carried by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has stirred up a political row in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised questions about the message Gandhi intended to convey with the red-colored Constitution book during a public event in Nagpur.
At a campaign rally in Sangli district, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis criticized Rahul Gandhi for carrying a red-covered copy of the Constitution, suggesting it hinted at communist leanings. “What message did Rahul Gandhi want to give by showing a red copy of the Constitution of India?” Fadnavis asked, accusing Gandhi of fostering a coalition with anarchists. The color red, often associated with leftist and communist ideologies, has sparked questions in political circles about Gandhi’s intentions.
Maharashtra Congress Responds
In response, Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole defended Gandhi’s choice, stating that the color red holds significance within Hindu traditions and is considered auspicious. Patole claimed the BJP’s reaction showed nervousness over Gandhi’s event in Nagpur, a BJP stronghold. “In Hinduism, red is considered auspicious, yet the BJP finds it impure. Those who oppose the Constitution have no right to decide whether a copy of the Constitution should be red, yellow, or black,” Patole remarked. He also took issue with Fadnavis’s comments about the Congress’s supposed alignment with left-wing ideologies, asking if BJP equates all supporters of the Constitution with “urban Naxalism.”
Patole went on to criticize the BJP’s stance on left-leaning political groups and asked whether they consider citizens who support such ideologies anti-national. “If the BJP considers Left-leaning individuals anti-national, then Kerala has a Leftist government, West Bengal was ruled by the Left for years, and there are still Leftist legislators and Members of Parliament,” he said. Patole challenged Fadnavis to take action if he truly believes that supporting leftist ideals equates to anti-nationalism.
Rahul Gandhi, who was campaigning for the Congress-NCP(SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT) alliance, held the red-colored copy of the Constitution at the Samvidhan Samman Sammelan convention in Nagpur, emphasizing his commitment to protecting the nation’s democratic values. Patole asserted that Gandhi’s mission was to safeguard the Constitution, while accusing the BJP of attempting to defame the Congress leader.
Votings in Maharashtra election are scheduled for November 20 and results to be declared on November 23.
