A breakthrough has been achieved with the call for a debate on the Constitution
New Delhi:
All Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs have agreed to hold a debate on the Constitution next week, days after chaotic sessions on the issue.
The breakthrough came today after an all-party meeting with Chairman Om Birla.
The debate on the Constitution will take place on December 13 and 14 in the Lok Sabha, and on December 16 and 17 in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju told reporters outside Parliament.
“It is not good to disrupt parliamentary work. We appeal to all opposition leaders to honor the commitment that we will all ensure that Parliament functions smoothly from tomorrow,” Rijiju said.
The first session of the winter session of Parliament began on November 25, with both chambers adjourning quite early due to disruptions. The session lasts until December 20.
Opposition parties had demanded discussions in both houses to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly.
The ruling BJP has fended off opposition attacks that Modi 3.0 would tinker with the Constitution. Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah has more than once dismissed opposition claims that the BJP would amend the Constitution if it gets a special majority in the Lok Sabha again.
“We have been mandated to change the constitution for the past 10 years, but we never did. What do you think Rahul Baba and company would say, and the country will believe it? This country has given us a clear mandate, and The people of this country already know that Modi ji already had enough majority to change the Constitution, but we never did that,” Shah said in May.
However, Mr Rijiju's recent comments at an event to announce programs related to the Constitution Day celebration on November 26 have prompted the opposition to take note again. The Constitution is not just a static document but a journey and has been amended before, Mr Riiju said at the NDTV India Samvad Samvidhan 2024 Summit.
“The Constitution is a book. However, as citizens we have to follow a way of life. Many people have expressed their views on the Constitution from time to time, and they are constructive views. People have also taken a look at the Constitution. different positions at different times, changes have also been made,” the Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs said.
“I will not go into the smallest details about the Constitution because it will be a lengthy discussion. But everyone knows that the Constitution is not a static document. It is a journey that has seen changes and will see changes. Except for the basic principles that are at the core and which we cannot and should not touch, nothing is permanent in a democratic system,” Mr Rijiju said.
