New Delhi, April 9 (PTI): Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the Constitution is a weapon but it is meaningless without institutions, which he alleged have been captured by the RSS.
He also hit out at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, saying she did not respond to the Congress's offer to contest the Uttar Pradesh polls together.
Releasing a book, titled "The Dalit Truth", on the battles of Dalits and for realising B R Ambedkar's vision, Gandhi exhorted Dalits to fight for their rights by treading the path shown by Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.
"The Constitution is the weapon of India but it has no meaning without institutions. The Constitution without institutions has no meaning. We talk of protecting the Constitution. But how is the Constitution implemented? With institutions. All institutions are in the hands of the RSS," he alleged.
Noting that if institutions are not controlled by people, neither is the country, the Congress leader said, "This is not a new assault. It started the day when Mahatma Gandhi was killed with bullets."
He said Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, gave the weapon to people "but today, that weapon has no meaning" as the media is being controlled and a spyware (Pegasus) is being used to control political leaders.
Gandhi said he would not have been able to speak up against the government had he taken any money and alleged that the CBI and the ED control the political system.
Taking on Mayawati, he said, "We gave a message to Mayawati to form an alliance and asked her to become the chief minister. She did not even talk to us."
Gandhi said he had respect for Kanshi Ram for articulating the Dalit voice of Uttar Pradesh, due to which the Congress had suffered, and alleged that Mayawati gave a clear passage to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that was because of "the CBI, the ED and Pegasus".
The former Congress chief said people can only fight till such time they speak up or else, institutions will continue to be used and controlled and the Constitution will not be followed.
"This is the reality of India. And when the Constitution becomes defunct, the weak are the worst affected -- Dalits, minorities, tribals, unemployed, small farmers and the poor," he said.
Pointing out to the state of the country's economy, Gandhi said, "This is the time to fight."
He said Ambedkar and Gandhi had shown that "there is a path, but you need to tread on it. There is a way, but you need to tread that path".