Oppn MPs accuse BJP of ‘attempting to alter’ Constitution

New Delhi: A storm of political outrage erupted in Parliament on Tuesday as Opposition leaders expressed fierce condemnation of the BJP-led government, accusing it of “attempting to alter” the Constitution and “undermine” the legacy of B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.

The uproar followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s provocative “400 Paar” slogan during the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with Congress leader Pramod Tiwari calling it a clear indication of the BJP’s intent to “change” the Constitution according to their convenience.

“It is becoming evident why the Prime Minister coined the slogan ‘400 Paar’—because they want to modify the Constitution created by Baba Saheb Ambedkar to suit their own agenda,” Tiwari added.

“This is an insult to Ambedkar, and as MPs, we cannot tolerate this. We have decided that we will walk out of the House to express our anger at this disrespect.”

Tiwari went on to make it clear that the Opposition, especially the INDIA Bloc MPs, would remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting the Constitution, vowing to resist any attempts to alter it.

“We will not allow Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s vision for India to be tampered with. We are committed to this fight until our last breath,” he said, adding that the BJP’s growing attacks on Dalit reservations were equally unacceptable.

“The BJP wants to change the foundational structure of our Constitution, and we will never allow that,” he said.

Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose also launched a scathing attack on the ruling government, particularly criticising a recent statement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that seemed to diminish the contributions of Ambedkar.

“The Home Minister’s comments were an outright insult to our Constitution and to Baba Saheb Ambedkar himself. This cannot and will not be tolerated,” Ghosh said in an interview with the media.

“The BJP is consistently undermining the Constitution, refusing to answer any questions, and attempting to eliminate essential reservations that benefit Dalits. We have walked out of Parliament to protest this,” she said.

The sharp criticism was echoed by NCP MP Fauzia Khan, who accused the BJP of double standards.

“While they claim to be defenders of the Constitution, the reality is that they are actively working to dismantle it. The BJP is trying to change the electoral system and rewrite the Constitution. We will not let this happen. We will stand united against any attempts to dilute the vision of Baba Saheb Ambedkar.”

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri turned her focus on the governance of Uttar Pradesh, accusing the state government of abandoning its duties.

“The wheel of development in Uttar Pradesh has come to a standstill under this government. The youth are suffering, and the budgets for health and education have been slashed. The government is shirking its responsibilities while the state’s economy stagnates,” she said.

IANS