Still a ray of hope: Mamata

Kolkata: Accusing the BJP of violating the principles of the Constitution to form a "government at midnight in Maharashtra", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the Supreme Court verdict and Devendra Fadnavis' resignation have shown that the Constitution cannot be subverted.

Addressing a special session of the Assembly to observe Constitution Day, she said: "Amidst sorrow, there is still a ray of hope." She was referring to the resignation of Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar after the Supreme Court's decision to have the floor test in Maharashtra on Wednesday.

Fadnavis should not have taken the oath as Chief Minister of Maharashtra when he did not have the numbers, she said.

Describing it as a victory of the Indian Constitution, she said in the House: "Today is our Constitution Day. The direction of the Supreme Court of India asking the Maharashtra Chief Minister to appear in a floor test to prove their majority which eventually led to his resignation is a victory of our Constitution. The decision of the Apex Court coincides on the day which we are celebrating as our Constitution Day. The Supreme Court has upheld the Constitution and it is the best gift as we mark 70 years of adoption of the Constitution."

She further added: "After Independence, our forefathers had prepared our Constitution so that the democracy, integrity and secularism of our country are protected. I am proud of our Constituent Assembly and convey my gratitude to them. The Apex Court has expressed the mood of the people across the country. Due to our Constitution, a political party was forced to ask its Chief Ministerial candidate to resign. The colour of the political party does not matter. It matters whether the decision was in favour of our democracy, in favour of our people and if the decision was right. In democracy, one party will win and the other will lose but the people of the country will pronounce the final judgment. Everything was done during the night. One party can win while the other will lose but everything will be done as per the Constitution, Banerjee said on the resignation of Fadnavis."

Taking a dig at the BJP, the Chief Minister said: "If anybody thinks, he can do anything, it is not allowed by our Constitution. Various chapters of our Constitution laid down the detailed guidelines on how our country will proceed. I salute them who have written our Constitution. It has protected our country."

Banerjee maintained: "Our forefathers followed what Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and other greats had preached. Visions of the great men and our freedom fighters have been reflected in the Constitution. Our forefathers have set the foundation of our democracy by writing one of the finest Constitutions in the world."

Attacking the Modi government at the Centre without taking any name, she said: "I am not talking about the abolition of Article 370 as it was discussed in Parliament but I have the right to raise questions on why a veteran leader like Farooq Abdullah has been kept in jail for the past three months. Why will you curb another's fundamental rights? Who is trying to break the social fabric of the country? How someone can dictate what one will eat. Having no freedom of speech is detrimental to the basic tenets of our Constitution."