Picture ; ANI / X
Under fire Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has distanced itself from MP Anantkumar Hegde’s remarks on amending the Constitution, calling it “personal views”, and said that it will seek an explanation from him.
The party said it reaffirms its unwavering commitment to uphold the Constitution, and Hegde’s remarks do not reflect its stance.
“MP Shri Ananthkumar Hegde’s remarks on the Constitution are his personal views and do not reflect the party’s stance. BJP reaffirms our unwavering commitment to uphold the nation’s Constitution and will ask for an explanation from Shri Hegde regarding his comments,” BJP posted on ‘X’.
According to PTI, Hegde has said it is necessary for the party to gain two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and also come to power in more than 20 States to amend the Constitution aimed at setting right alleged distortions and unnecessary additions to it by the Congress.
The six-time Lok Sabha member from Karnataka said NDA winning more than 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will eventually help in mustering a similar majority in the Upper House and also bagging two-third of the states.
“If the Constitution has to be amended — the Congress which fundamentally distorted the Constitution by forcefully filling unnecessary things in it, especially by bringing in laws that were aimed at suppressing the Hindu society — if all of this has to be changed it is not possible with this (current) majority,” he said, addressing a gathering in Uttara Kannada district.
Reacting to Hegde’s statement, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Hegde’s statement is not his personal one but a part of the secret agenda of the BJP.
“Hegde’s statement has exposed the ulterior motives of the BJP to replace Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s version of the Constitution with their own, influenced by the Manusmriti. The BJP’s version would reinforce the evil practices of the caste system. The BJP will remove all reservations for OBCs and Dalits if they come to power. His statement is a direct attack on OBCs and Dalits,” he said in a statement.
The CM said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi disagrees with Hegde’s opinions, he should first expel him from the party. Failing to act against Hegde suggests the Prime Minister’s implicit agreement.
Hegde, who has sworn to uphold the Constitution, making statements against it constitutes a punishable offence, he said, adding that “The Speaker of the Lok Sabha should take serious action against Hegde and permanently disqualify him from contesting elections.”
In a post on X, Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal also alleged that the BJP has a “forked tongue” with which it conveys two messages — one for public decorum and the other its “Mann Ki Baat”.
“What Anantkumar Hegde said about altering the Constitution is their Mann Ki Baat. In their heart, they have never stood for the Constitution or the core values it espouses,” he alleged.
The BJP believes in imposing duties on citizens, while snatching away their fundamental rights, Venugopal said.
“Its parent organisation has wished for reservations to be done away with. And we are all witness to how constitutional institutions like the ECI or the judiciary are being compromised, while principles of federalism and checks and balances are being disregarded,” the Congress leader alleged.
The BJP has a forked tongue. With it, it conveys two messages – one for public decorum and the other is its Mann Ki Baat.
What Anant Kumar Hegde said about altering the constitution is their Mann Ki Baat. In their heart, they have never stood for the Constitution or the core…
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) March 11, 2024
“In reality, the Constitution is an inconvenience for the BJP’s autocratic plans. That’s why they aim for 400+ seats — to officially convert India into a dictatorship. However, democracy is in the veins of Indian society and it will reject these anti-Constitutional forces, who look to destroy Dr. Ambedkar’s Constitution,” Venugopal said.
