Manifesto of any political party cannot override Constitution: Anand Sharma in RS

Strongly opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday termed it as anti-constitutional and said manifesto of any political party cannot override the Constitution.

During the debate on the controversial bill in the Upper House, he also asked the government why was it in a hurry in bringing the legislation.

"Jaldbaaziu kyun (Why are you in a hurry)? You should have referred it to a standing committee of Parliament and introduced it in the next session," he said after Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the bill in the House.

Sharma said though the bill was part of BJP's 2019 election manifesto, it cannot override the principles of the Constitution.

"Every political party has a right to have its own manifesto. But the manifesto of a political party cannot be above the Constitution," he said.

He said there are provisions in the Constitution in Article 6 and many people have applied for citizenship.

Referring to rebirth in Hinduism, Sharma said, "In our religion, we believe in rebirth and meeting our elders. If Sardar Patel meets your prime minister, then he would be very angry, this I can say."
He further said, "Gandhi ji would also be sad saying you are celebrating my 150th birth anniversary and then you do this."
"Gandhi ji's spectacles are not only for advertisement. There is a need to see the entire nation through them."
Taking a dig at Shah, the Congress leader said, "You are saying this is a historic bill, but how it will be evaluated in history, this you get to know later."
On allegations that the bill is discriminatory towards minorities, he said, "When they are persecuted on the basis of their religion, then solution will be based on religion only."