Hegde's remarks on amending Constitution personal and do not reflect party's stance: BJP

Bengaluru: The BJP’s Karnataka unit on Sunday distanced itself from MP Anantkumar Hegde’s remarks on amending the Constitution, calling it ”personal views,” and said that it will seek an explanation from him. The party said it reaffirms its unwavering commitment to uphold the Constitution, and Hegde’s remarks do not reflect its stance.

”MP Shri Ananthkumar Hegde’s remarks on the Constitution are his personal views and do not reflect the party’s stance. BJP reaffirms our unwavering commitment to uphold the nation’s Constitution and will ask for an explanation from Shri Hegde regarding his comments,” BJP Karnataka posted on ‘X’.

Hegde has said it is necessary for the party to gain two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and also come to power in more than 20 States to amend the Constitution aimed at setting right alleged distortions and unnecessary additions to it by the Congress.

The six-time Lok Sabha member from Karnataka said the NDA winning more than 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will eventually help in mustering a similar majority in the Upper House and also bagging two-third of states.

”If the Constitution has to be amended — the Congress which fundamentally distorted the Constitution by forcefully filling unnecessary things in it, especially by bringing in laws that were aimed at suppressing the Hindu society — if all of this has to be changed it is not possible with this (current) majority,” he said addressing a gathering in Uttara Kannada district.

Reacting to Hegde’s statement, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar said this shows that BJP is anti-Constitution.

”Let him do it, amend the Constitution…this shows that the BJP government (at the Centre) and BJP MP are against the Constitution given by Babasaheb Ambedkar. Let him get it stamped by the Prime Minister,” he told reporters in the district headquarters town of Mandya.