The BJP’s objective of amending the Constitution will mean the end of parliamentary democracy: Chidambaram P
On Monday, senior Congressman P Chidambaram said that parliamentary democracy, federalism, minority rights, and English as one of the two official languages would all be lost if the Constitution were to be changed in accordance with the BJP-RSS agenda.
Chidambaram made his comments in response to BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde’s claim that a two-thirds majority is required for constitutional amendments.
Chidambaram said, “The BJP’s plan to amend the Constitution was never a secret,” in a post on X. In private discussions, a number of BJP officials have said that India ought to be a Hindu Rashtra, with Hindi being the only official language, and that the federal government ought to be powerful enough to subjugate the state governments.”
The former Union minister said that “this is an old ploy” and that sometimes, individuals like Hegde leak information and then swiftly retract it.
According to Chidambaram, the goal has been accomplished, and the RSS/BJP cadres are thrilled that the BJP is still promoting the concept of changing the Constitution.
“If the Constitution is amended according to the RSS/BJP agenda, that will be the end of Parliamentary democracy, Federalism, rights of the Minorities, and the English language being one of the two official languages,” he said.
Hegde’s comments were labeled as “personal opinion” by the BJP on Sunday, and they demanded an explanation from him.
The Karnataka branch of the BJP said in a post on X that MP Ananthkumar Hegde’s comments against the Constitution are his own opinions and do not represent the party’s position. The BJP reiterates its unflinching commitment to upholding the Constitution of the country and promises to seek Hegde to clarify his remarks.”
Hegde’s comments prompted the Congress to accuse the BJP and the RSS of “re-writing and destroying” the Constitution as part of a “hidden and devious” strategy.
Hegde said that the BJP needs a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament to change the Constitution and “set right the distortions and unnecessary additions made to it by the Congress” while speaking to an assembly in Karwar, Karnataka, on Saturday.
Hegde, a former Union minister and six-term member of the Lok Sabha, is well-known for his conservative opinions, which have previously caused controversy.
