Lok Sabha Elections: Another BJP candidate's remarks on amending constitution erupt controversy

Lok Sabha Elections: She stated, "To make crucial decisions for the country, we may need to amend the constitution. But to do that, we need approval from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha."

Satyam Singh Last Updated : 03 April 2024, 10:34 PM IST

Courtesy: X/@jyotimirdha

Lok Sabha Elections: The Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan has sparked controversy by suggesting that the party needs a big majority in Parliament to change the constitution.

Jyoti Mirdha, the BJP candidate from Nagaur, made these remarks in a video shared on social media. She stated, "To make crucial decisions for the country, we may need to amend the constitution. But to do that, we need approval from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha."

She also noted that while the BJP and its allies have a strong presence in the Lok Sabha, they lack a majority in the Rajya Sabha.

It's unclear what specific changes Mirdha was referring to in the constitution.

Jairam Ramesh slams BJP

Reacting to Mirdha's comments, Jairam Ramesh, the Congress's General Secretary for communications, suggested it was a coordinated effort by the BJP.

Mirdha defended her remarks, stating that if constitutional amendments are needed for the country's benefit, then they should be pursued. She referenced the recent amendment to the Women's Reservation Bill as an example.

Hanuman Beniwal, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party chief, criticized the BJP, saying it seemed like they wanted to change Babasaheb's constitution.

Interestingly, Mirdha and Beniwal had switched roles since the last elections, with Beniwal defeating Mirdha in 2019.

Mridha clarifies

In response to the backlash, Mirdha clarified that her comments were taken out of context and stressed that constitutional amendments have been made over the years for the welfare of the people.

On Tuesday, the Congress asserted that Mirdha's remarks indicate the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's disdain for the Constitution and democracy.

What had Anant Hegde said regarding constitution?

This isn't the first time such statements have come up. Earlier, BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde from Karnataka had also talked about the need for a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha to amend the constitution, aiming to undo laws he claimed were against the Hindu community.

After Anant Hegde let the cat out of the bag, BJP leaders hastily stuffed it back in and dropped him from their candidate list. Now another BJP candidate openly says the BJP’s aim is to change the Constitution. How many more candidates can the BJP disavow for revealing the truth… https://t.co/iHYQWWk0mD
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 2, 2024

Shashi Tharoor raises questions on BJP

Following Anant Hegde's revealing statement, BJP leaders quickly silenced him and removed him from their candidate roster, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated in a social media update on Tuesday. Now, another BJP candidate boldly declares the BJP's intention to amend the Constitution. How many more candidates will the BJP disown for speaking the truth?

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