New Delhi/IBNS: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday narrated how the Indian Constitution "stood the test of time" in a debate in the Rajya Sabha.

Sitharaman began the government's address to the house on the debate over the Constitution.

"Post Second World War, over 50 countries had become independent and had their Constitution written. But many have changed their Constitutions, not just amended them but literally changed the entire feature of their Constitution.

"But our Constitution has stood the test of time, of course, yielded itself to very many amendments...," said the minister.

In an indirect attack on the Congress, Sitharaman referred to the grand old party's step to allegedly curb the freedom of speech immediately after India gained independence from British rule.

Sitharaman said, "...The Supreme Court in 1950 had ruled in favour of the Communist magazine "Cross Roads" and the RSS organisational magazine "Organizer". But in response, the (then) interim government thought that there was a need for a first Constitutional amendment and that was brought in by the INC and it was essentially to curb the freedom."

She added, "So India, a democratic country which prides itself even today about freedom of expression saw the first interim government coming up with a Constitutional amendment which was to curb the freedom of speech of Indians and that within one year of adoption of the Constitution..."

PM Modi rips apart Congress in his Lok Sabha address

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday criticised the Congress today for imposing Emergency when it faced political setbacks. During his reply to the parliamentary debate on the Constitution, PM Modi stated that the Congress "will never be able to erase the taint of Emergency."

"I expected a good debate on the Constitution, but some decided to grieve their losses," the Prime Minister remarked, targeting the Opposition.

Reflecting on the Constitution’s journey, PM Modi said, "We are completing 75 years of the Constitution. If we look back, when India's Constitution completed 25 years, it was snatched using Emergency and India was turned into a prison and the rights of citizens were snatched. The Congress can't wipe off this sin. Whenever a discussion on the Constitution takes place, we will always talk about the Emergency."

Criticising the Congress for its actions, he said, "Instead of embracing the Constitution, they sowed seeds of discord and negativity." He accused the Congress, particularly one family, of undermining the Constitution, saying they "relentlessly pursued wrong thoughts, wrong deeds and wrong policies" and challenged constitutional principles at every opportunity.