Congress created situation for bill on simultaneous polls: Nadda

New Delhi, Dec 17: Rajya Sabha Leader of the House J P Nadda attacked the Congress on Tuesday for amending the Constitution for its own benefit and alleged that its past actions of "toppling governments" in states led to staggered polls, creating the necessity for 'One Nation One Election' bill.

Participating in a debate in the Upper House on the "Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India", the BJP president accused the Congress of practising politics of appeasement and attempting to bring in religion-based reservations, a charge which was vociferously contested by the opposition party.

The BJP president also spoke about the Emergency, rejecting the Congress' claim of having apologised for it. Nadda said if the Congress regrets the step, it should join in observing 'Samvidhan Hatya Divas' on June 25 next year, the 50th anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency.

The BJP leader quoted B R Ambedkar to say "however good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad", and added that the "bad lot has interfered with the Constitution many times".

On a day when two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a fiery debate, Nadda blamed the Congress for creating a situation that forced the government to take this step.

"We have to bring the One Nation One Election bill because you toppled elected government in states, and elections had to be held," Nadda said.

The first general elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies were held together in 1951-52, a practice that continued for three subsequent general elections in 1957, 1962, and 1967.

Nadda targeted the Congress over issues ranging from Article 370 to triple talaq, and also accused it of not protecting the territorial integrity of the country.

Accusing the Congress of "minority appeasement", Nadda said, "You called Rajiv Gandhi progressive... The Supreme Court gave a decision in the Shah Bano case, under pressure from Muslim clergies, you brought an amendment in Parliament. It was done keeping vote bank politics in mind."

"The Supreme Court always said triple talaq should go, you did not have courage, you were doing appeasement politics," he said.

Nadda also accused the Congress of trying to bring in reservation based on religion.

The Leader of the House said Ambedkar had clearly said that reservation should not be structured in the name of religion.

"In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, you (Congress) attempted to provide (religious minority) reservation under backward classes, which was struck down by the high court," Nadda said.