Congress’s newly elected Member of Parliament, Priyanka Gandhi, delivered her debut speech today in the Lok Sabha. Opening the Opposition’s participation in a special debate on the Constitution, Ms Gandhi began by highlighting India’s freedom struggle and the enduring power of the Constitution.

During her speech, Ms Gandhi recounted her visit to the family of a young woman from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, who tragically passed away in 2019 after being set on fire by men who had allegedly raped her. She emphasised how the Constitution gave the family the strength and confidence to pursue justice.

She also spoke about her visit to the home of Arun Valmiki in Agra and her interaction with the victims of police violence in Sambhal, shedding light on issues of injustice and abuse of power.

Ms Gandhi described the Constitution as a “security guard” for the powerless, reaffirming its role in protecting the rights of the marginalised.