The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly addressed any speculation regarding a potential alteration to the Constitution and distanced itself from remarks made by its Member of Parliament, Ananth Kumar Hegde, concerning a revision to the founding document should the party secure a two-thirds majority in power.
In a statement posted on X shortly after Hegde’s comments, the BJP clarified, “MP Ananth Kumar Hegde’s opinions on the Constitution are his own and do not represent the official stance of the party. @BJP4India reiterates its steadfast commitment to upholding the nation’s Constitution and will seek clarification from Hegde regarding his statements.”
MP Shri Ananth Kumar Hegde’s remarks on the Constitution are his personal views and do not reflect the party’s stance. @BJP4India reaffirms our unwavering commitment to uphold the nation’s Constitution and will ask for an explanation from Shri Hegde regarding his comments.
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 10, 2024
Hegde had earlier stated that the BJP would require a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament to amend the Constitution and rectify what he termed as distortions and unnecessary additions introduced by the Congress.
“The Constitution was fundamentally distorted by the Congress through the inclusion of unnecessary provisions, particularly those aimed at suppressing Hindu society. If we intend to rectify this, merely relying on the current majority is insufficient,” Hegde was quoted saying by news agency PTI.
Highlighting the need for significant electoral victories, Hegde emphasized that the party would need to secure more than 20 states to enact such changes.
Referencing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Hegde noted that although it was passed in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha with considerable effort, it faced opposition from several state governments, hindering its implementation.
In response to Hegde’s remarks, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar criticized the BJP, alleging it to be anti-Constitution. “Let him proceed with amending the Constitution… this indicates that the BJP government and its MP are opposed to the Constitution crafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Let him seek approval from the Prime Minister,” Shivakumar stated .
This isn’t the first instance of Hegde making controversial comments. In 2017, as the Union Minister of State for Skill Development, he sparked controversy with similar statements regarding constitutional amendments. Despite apologizing in the Lok Sabha, Hegde maintained that his statement had been misrepresented.
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