News Brief
'If BJP Wanted To Change The Constitution...': Amit Shah Counters Opposition's Allegations
Kuldeep Negi
May 13, 2024, 01:17 PM | Updated 01:17 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah countered the Opposition's allegations that the BJP plans to change the Constitution and remove caste-based reservation, saying that the party has no such plans.
He emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, having secured a full majority in two consecutive elections, could have amended the Constitution if it had been the party's intention.
"Modi ji became the Prime Minister twice. He had a clear mandate both times. So if the BJP government wanted to change the constitution, or remove reservation, who could have stopped us?" Shah said in an interview with NDTV.
"We instead used our majority to finish Article 370, triple talaq, to build Ram temple, to conduct a surgical strike, to land Chandrayaan, to save 130 crores during the Covid pandemic, to provide 60 crore people toilet, cooking gas, home, drinking water, power supply, free ration, and health costs up to 5 lakh," he added.
Amit Shah's remarks come in response to allegations from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who claimed that the BJP would "tear up and throw away" the Constitution if it retains power.
Some other Congress functionaries had expressed apprehensions that the BJP may drop the word "secularism" from the Preamble of the Constitution.
Shah dismissed these claims as lies to mislead the voters.
"Rahul Gandhi wants to mislead the country. The people of the country know this. Either he is delusional or is spreading delusion," Shah said.
"Our Constitution has ensured opportunities for everyone. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, coming from the Dalit community, achieved such a stature. Babu Jagjivan Ram led the country. Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs comprise more than 50 per cent of Parliament. He (Rahul Gandhi) does not know how the country functions," he added.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.