Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers on Monday protested in Rajya Sabha against the alleged comments of Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar about changing the Constitution to provide reservations to Muslims, prompting the adjournment of the House proceedings until 2pm without transacting any business.
Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju did not name Shivakumar when he was given the floor in Rajya Sabha to explain what the BJP lawmakers were agitating about. In a post on X, Rijiju said Congress is openly saying they will change the Constitution to give reservations to Muslims. “Where are all those fake people who insulted Dr. BR Ambedkar and keep shouting about protecting the Constitution?” he said on X as he posted a video of Shivakumar purportedly making the comments.
In Bengaluru, Shivakumar denied making comments about changing the Constitution, saying he is a sensible and senior politician compared to BJP chief JP Nadda. “I have been in the assembly for the last 36 years. I have basic common sense. I never said there would be any changes to the Constitution.”
He added he made a casual remark that many changes happen after court judgments. “The claim that we are planning to change the Constitution is completely false. They are misquoting me.” He added that the Congress, as a national party, understands the significance of the Constitution and has no intention of altering it. “I will fight a case. They are misquoting me,” he said.
Shivakumar’s remarks in an interview with News18 on Sunday sparked the controversy. “I agree. Let us see. Let us watch what the court comes out with. I know that everyone will go to the court… Constitutions will be changing… There are judgments that have altered the Constitution also,” he said when asked whether the Constitution allows religion-based reservations.
In the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said they cannot take the statement lightly as it came from someone holding a constitutional post. Rijiju called the matter “extremely serious” and said changing the Constitution to provide religion-based reservation cannot be tolerated. He said Congress leaders carry the Constitution in their pockets but are doing everything to undermine it.
Rijiju said the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge should make the party’s position clear. He said Kharge should tell the House and the nation why Congress wants to change the Constitution to provide quota to Muslims.
Leader of the House and Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda alleged that Congress was shredding the Constitution. He said Ambedkar while framing the Constitution clearly said that reservation will not be based on religion. “It is an accepted principle of the Constitution,” he said.
He said the Congress-ruled Karnataka provided 4% reservation in public contracts to minorities and demanded a statement from Kharge.
Kharge said no one can change Ambedkar’s Constitution. “We are the people protecting the Constitution. We are the ones who did Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir …these [BJP] are the ones who believe in Bharat todo [break India],” he said as slogan-shouting BJP lawmaker repeatedly interrupted him.“We are the savers of Indian Constitution,” Kharge said.
Trinamool Congress lawmaker Derek O’Brien hit out at the BJP for disrupting the Rajya Sabha proceedings. “New low in Indian Parliament. Treasury benches (MPs belonging to the ruling BJP and NDA) disrupt Rajya Sabha.”