The Rajya Sabha witnessed a furor on Tuesday over a new edition of the Constitution of India sans 22 illustrations found in the original edition. However, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar assured the members of the upper house that if any change has to be made in the Indian Constitution, it can come only from Parliament with President’sassent.

He said, ”I am categorical that the Constitution signed by the Founding Fathers, carrying 22 miniatures, is the only authentic one and it can include amendments by Parliament. If there is any change effected by the judiciary or any institution, it is not acceptable to this House.”

Advertisement

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, BJP Member Radha Mohan Das Agrawal demanded inclusion of 22 illustrations, including those of Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and King Vikramaditya in the Constitution.

He said important portions of the Constitution were removed from the edition in an unconstitutional manner.

Chairman Dhankhar appealed to the leader of the House to ensure that only the authentic version of the Indian Constitution was promulgated. “I will appeal to the leader of the House to ensure that in the country only the authentic version of the Indian Constitution be promulgated. Any violation of this should be taken quite seriously by the government and severe action taken,” he added.

“I have no doubt and I am categorical. The Constitution signed by the founding fathers of the Constitution carrying 22 miniatures is the only authentic one and can include amendments by Parliament,” he said.

Agarwal said the copies of the Constitution on MPs’ computers had been updated with the illustrations he had mentioned earlier that sparked a row. He thanked the government, after which Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar told him that he had done the work.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, disputing the claim, said he had read the Constitution but never heard of the illustrations the BJP MP was talking about. Misrepresentation of the copy amounted to heaping insult on framer of the Constitution B R Ambedkar, he said.

Later, the Congress members staged a walkout in the House.

Leader of the House J P Nadda slammed the Opposition amid the uproar over illustrations in the original Constitution. He asked why Congress was troubled over the matter before answering himself, saying the Opposition has a hidden agenda to keep people and future generations away from India’s cultural heritage and values.

He said the government would ensure that the original copy of the Constitution is available, keeping in mind the Constitutional sentiment. He also criticised Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for politicising the matter and requested that his remarks on B R Ambedkar be expunged.

Outside Parliament, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari alleged that the government “conspired to change the Constitution and its copies given to MPs”.

He said, “… The government conspired to change the Constitution and its copies given to MPs. They have insulted Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. All INDIA bloc parties have decided that we will save the Constitution and not let the government insult Babasaheb Ambedkar and that is why we have staged a walkout…”

NCP (SP) lawmaker Fauzia Khan alleged that the government was trying to change the Constitution, referring to the Opposition’s claim of distributing altered Constitutions.

“The double standards of the BJP is coming to the fore. On the one hand, they are disrespecting the Constitution in the entire country every other moment, while on the other, posing as protectors of the Constitution. They are trying to change it, we will not let it happen. The Constitution is the result of many years. This conspiracy is being done, the election process is being tampered with, the voter list is being tampered with, and they are talking about the Constitution. The INDIA bloc leaders will oppose it, and won’t allow disrespect of BR Ambedkar,” the NCP MP told reporters.