Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 24 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Monday staged a protest against Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on his reported statement on the Constitution.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat slammed those who, in his words, had previously vowed to protect the Constitution, accusing them of using it merely as a political tool.
Speaking to ANI, Shekhawat stated, "Those who were roaming around with the Constitution and vowing to protect it, their character and face have been exposed once again. Those who always treated the Constitution according to their convenience have once again exposed their personality and put it in front of the people of the country...For them, the Constitution was just a means to win the elections."
This comes after DK Shivakumar, at an event on Sunday, talked about the bill that provided four per cent reservation to minorities and other backward classes in public contracts in the state in an event, purportedly saying that the "Constitution will be changing.
"A ruckus erupted within a few minutes of the proceedings in Rajya Sabha over Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's reported remarks about "changing the Constitution".
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju demanded an explanation from the Leader of Opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding the Congress' position on reservation for Muslims, whereas the Congress chief said that nobody can change the Constitution.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kiren Rijiju termed the Shivakumar's statement "extremely serious."
Replying to Kiren Rijiju, LoP and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said that his party took up the Bharat Jodo Yatra across the country to protect the Constitution."
Nobody can change the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Nobody can finish the reservation. To protect it, we did the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. They (points at NDA MPs) break India," Kharge said.
Kiren Rijiju further replied to Kharge and demanded the resignation of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
"Raising the issue of Muslim reservation, Congress has sullied the prestige of Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. If you have guts, demand the resignation of Deputy CM today itself," Rijiju said.
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar hit back at the BJP saying that they were trying to twist his statement.
"I don't want to comment much on it... On quota, there are several judgments which have come, and after every judgment, amendments have been made to the Constitution; there is nothing else... So they are trying to twist it. They don't have any issues. I am happy that Jairam Ramesh has moved privilege motion. I am also consulting my legal experts," he said.