New Delhi [India], February 11 : Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday asserted that the Constitution signed by the founding fathers carrying 22 miniatures is the "only authentic one" and only that should be promulgated in the country.
The Chairman reacted to Bharatiya Janata Party MP Radha Mohan Agrawal's claim that the Congress "removed" 22 illustrations included by Nandlal Bose from the Indian Constitution including those related to Lord Ram, Krishna, Mohenjo-Daro and Mahatma Gandhi from the Constitution.
Dhankhar said, "I have no doubt that the Constitution signed by the founding fathers of the Constitution carrying 22 miniatures is the only authentic one and it can include amendments by the Parliament. If there is any change affected by the Judiciary or any institution, it is not acceptable to this House. I will appeal to the Leader of the House to ensure that in the country only the authentic version be promulgated. Any violation of this should be taken seriously by the government."
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, BJP MP Radha Agrawal claimed that the copy of the Constitution circulating in the country is not the original one that was signed by the founding fathers of the Constitution.
"Today, if an ordinary citizen of the country goes to the market to buy a copy of the Constitution, they do not find the original printed version that was signed by the framers of the Constitution on January 26, 1949. Some important sections of this Constitution have been removed in an unconstitutional manner for reasons unknown. We all know that if any amendments need to be made to the Constitution, there is a specific process for it. I want to ask why certain important parts of the Constitution, which were signed on January 26, 1949, were removed by some people without any parliamentary approval," the BJP MP said.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that an attempt is being made to defame BR Ambedkar by creating a controversy.
"There is an attempt to defame Ambedkar," Kharge said.
Leader of the House, JP Nadda countered him and asked how there can be an issue with the point raised by Radha Mohan Agarwal and opposition members should welcome it.
"This issue is very important. The current copies of the Constitution being published do not contain those 22 illustrations. What is the opposition's problem with this? The 22 illustrations in the Constitution seem to trouble them. Their agenda is to erase the memory of India's culture, and they don't want future generations to remember it," Nadda said.