"Anti-Constitution sentiment has taken new form": Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi

New Delhi [India], June 27 : Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday disapproved of the objections raised on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's chants of 'Jai Samvidhaan' on the second day of the Parliament and said that the anti-constitution sentiment that emerged during the elections has now taken a new form.
The Congress leader argued saying people in power were not stopped from raising "unparliamentary and unconstitutional" slogans in the Parliament, but objections were raised when an opposition MP chanted 'Jai Samvidhaan'.
Taking to the microblogging site, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted on X, "Can't 'Jai Samvidhaan' be chanted in the Indian Parliament? People in power were not stopped from raising unparliamentary and unconstitutional slogans in the Parliament, but objections were raised when an opposition MP chanted 'Jai Samvidhaan'."
"The anti-constitution sentiment that emerged during the elections has now taken a new form, which seeks to weaken our Constitution," said the Congress leader.
"The constitution by which the parliament functions, the constitution by which every member takes oath, the constitution by which every citizen gets the protection of life and livelihood, will that same constitution be opposed now to suppress the voice of the opposition?" read the post.
This comes after Rahul Gandhi took the oath in Lok Sabha as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Raebareli on Tuesday with a copy of the Constitution in his hand, he said 'Jai Samvidhan' to reporters while leaving the Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi was part of the remaining MPs who took their oaths today after a total of 262 newly elected MPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, did so on Monday, the inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, who had come to Parliament for his brother, Rahul Gandhi's oath-taking, said that she was pleased to see several party leaders taking oaths in the 18th Lok Sabha.
The second day of the Parliament session witnessed a series of slogans during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected Lok Sabha members.
While BJP MP from Bareilly, Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar was seen chanting, "Jai Hindu Rashtra, Jai Bharat," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ended his oath saying, "Jai Samvidhan."
The Raebareli MP concluded with "Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan," in a move to highlight his commitment to constitutional values.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, elected for his fifth term from Hyderabad, took his oath in Urdu, reciting a prayer beforehand.
Following his oath, Owaisi hailed Telangana and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, while also raising the AIMIM's slogan for Muslims. He concluded with "Jai Palestine," referencing a conflict-ridden West Asian region, which led to an uproar from the treasury benches.
Adding to the variety of invocations, BJP leader and Mathura MP Hema Malini began her oath with "Radhe Radhe" and ended it with "Jai Shri Krishna, Jai Shri Radha Raman Ji, Jai Bharat Mata Ki."
Meanwhile, BJP MP Ravi Kishan from Gorakhpur concluded his oath with "Har Har Mahadev, Jai Bhojpuri."
BJP MP from Meerut Arun Govil took his oath in Sanskrit and ended it with "Jai Shri Ram, Jai Bharat."
After Rahul Gandhi announced that he would resign as an MP from Wayanad and would keep the Raebareli constituency, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced Priyanka Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad last week.
If Priyanka Gandhi wins from Wayanad, three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family will be in Parliament: Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha and Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.
Efforts by the BJP's top leadership to reach a consensus on the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha came to naught when the INDIA bloc decided to nominate 8-time MP K Suresh for the post. His nomination followed the filing of nomination by BJP's Kota MP Om Birla for the same position. Birla previously served as the Speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha.
This was the first time that elections were held for the Speaker of the lower house, as traditionally the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker have been elected by consensus between the ruling party and the opposition.