“Spreading poison”: BJP slams Rahul Gandhi for calling Constitution ‘thousands of years old’

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has triggered a major political row with his recent remarks about the Indian Constitution. During the ‘Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan’ seminar in Patna, Gandhi claimed that the Constitution is "thousands of years old," drawing a sharp response from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which called the statement "embarrassing" and "intellectually weak."

Rahul Gandhi had stated that the Indian Constitution is not a recent creation, but instead reflects the ancient philosophical thoughts of leaders like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Guru Nanak, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sant Kabir. His comment that the Constitution is “1000 years old” was interpreted by BJP leaders as a distortion of historical facts and a display of ignorance.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi ridiculed the Congress leader, saying Gandhi leaves the nation “shocked and speechless” with his interpretation of history. Trivedi pointed out that the Constitution was formally adopted on November 26, 1949—not 1947—and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially declared this day as Constitution Day to educate people about its origins.

Trivedi accused the Congress of opposing Constitution Day when it was introduced and blamed Rahul Gandhi for spreading “misguided ideas” among India’s youth. He said, “The Constitution Day was needed precisely because leaders like him don’t understand when or how it was made.”

BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill joined in the criticism, calling Gandhi’s political journey a “Failure to Launch.” He added that it is deeply troubling that someone aspiring to become Prime Minister is unaware of the foundational history of the Indian republic. “Under Rahul’s leadership, Congress has lost over 55 elections and more than 400 leaders,” Shergill noted.

BJP leader Ajay Alok also lashed out, saying it was shameful that the Leader of the Opposition did not grasp the difference between cultural legacy and constitutional history. “He says our Constitution was made in 1947 and is thousands of years old. That’s not just false, it’s dangerous. He is spreading confusion, not awareness,” Alok said.