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Congress President Questions PM Modi's Silence on BJP MP's Constitution Remarks

Kalyani Jha
11 Mar, 2024

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has raised concerns over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence regarding recent remarks made by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of parliament regarding the amendment of the Constitution. Kharge expressed disappointment, suggesting that the prime minister's silence indicates his tacit agreement with such comments against the Constitution.

Addressing a press conference on March 11, Kharge highlighted the contradiction within the BJP's stance on the Constitution. He emphasized that while PM Modi publicly asserts that the Constitution will remain unchanged, statements made by BJP MPs imply a desire to amend it with a two-thirds majority. Kharge criticized the BJP and its parent organization, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging that they are against social justice, secularism, and reservation as enshrined in the Constitution.

The controversy erupted after BJP MP Hegde remarked on March 10 that the Indian Constitution needs to be changed "to save our religion," suggesting that the BJP could achieve this only with over 400 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections. Despite the BJP distancing itself from Hegde's comments and labeling them as personal opinion, Kharge questioned PM Modi's failure to reprimand party members for such statements.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram echoed Kharge's concerns, warning that any attempt to amend the Constitution in line with the BJP-RSS agenda would undermine parliamentary democracy, federalism, minority rights, and the status of English as an official language.

Kharge criticized the BJP's aspiration for over 400 Lok Sabha seats, dismissing it as a mere dream. He expressed confidence that voters would rebuke the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for its leaders' controversial statements, emphasizing the electorate's role in upholding democratic values and constitutional principles.