‘Any violation of this should be taken quite seriously by the government and severe action taken’
New Delhi, Feb 11: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said the Constitution signed by its framers that includes 22 miniatures together with amendments by Parliament is the only authentic one that needs to be promulgated and any violation be taken seriously and dealt with sternly.
He said this in the House after BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agrawal raised the issue of 22 illustrations missing in most copies of the Constitution sold in the country today. He demanded inclusion of the original illustrations, which he alleged have been removed “unconstitutionally”.
The issue led to a heated discussion in the House with the Congress staging a walkout, alleging that Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge was not allowed to complete his point on the issue.
“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 it can include amendments by the Parliament. If there is any change effected by judiciary or any institution, it is not acceptable to this House.
“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,” the Chairman said in the House.
Kharge was first given the floor to speak on the issue, who alleged that the BJP was unnecessarily raising the issue to create a controversy. “They are unnecessarily raising the issue and want to create a controversy on Ambedkar’s Constitution. They never raised this issue when Ambedkar, Patel, others were alive…Now they are bringing new issues. This is an attempt to create a controversy and defame Ambedkar. This is wrong,” Kharge alleged.
When Kharge sought to speak further, the Chair gave the floor to the Leader of the House J P Nadda, who refuted the charges made by Kharge. At this, the Congress members staged a walkout from the House.
Nadda wondered what objection does the Congress have on the issue and they should have supported it and urged the government to take action.
“It is unfortunate that the Congress leader is trying to seek advantage of the issue by making it political by alleging that attempts are being made to defame Ambedkar and this should be expunged,” he said, adding that the publishers should publish the Constitution keeping in view the spirit of the framers. He said they all respected Ambedkar.
Nadda said the copies of Constitution being published by publishers do not have the illustrations as pointed out by Agarwal.
He further said the government will ensure publishers publish copies depicting spirit of Constitution and only those are available in the market.
The Chairman later said this was an extremely serious issue as the 22 illustrations carry the depiction of India’s 5,000 year old tradition and heritage.
“A very valid issue has come to the attention of the Council of States. Dr. Radha Mohan Das Agarwal has rightly pointed out that the act of omission or commission either on our iPads or in any book without carrying the 22 miniatures of that Constitution of which architect is Dr. B R Ambedkar and signed by our founding fathers and the only variation, I reiterate, please note my words, the only change that can take place in the Indian Constitution can emanate only from the Indian Parliament,” Dhankhar said. (PTI)
Dhankhar to give ruling on members leaving House right after speech
New Delhi, Feb 11: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said he would give his ruling during this session on the conduct of members giving their speeches in the House and then leaving without listening to others and “showing their back”.
He said this after BJP member Ghanshyam Tiwari pointed out that a member left the House immediately after delivering his speech in Parliament. Independent MP Kapil Sibal was speaking in the House on the Union Budget before he left.
The chairman said Ghanshyam Tiwari, who has a long experience of Parliamentary experience, has raised a question on whether a member can leave the House immediately after giving his speech. “Also on whether one has to come to Parliament only to give their speech. It has also been stated that the basis of dignified conduct is to listen to others and express oneself,” he said. Dhankhar further said, “Members have freedom of expression in the House which no one can question outside. After getting such a right, if one does not listen to others, leave after his speech… then you show back to everyone else is an important issue. I will give my verdict on this issue during this session.” (PTI)
CPI(ML) MPs stage walkout in Lok Sabha
New Delhi, Feb 11: The CPI(ML) MPs staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha during Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s reply to discussions on the budget on Tuesday and said she failed to address keys issues affecting the people of Bihar and the country, including a special status for the state.
“Despite the finance minister repeating Bihar’s name in her speech numerous times, the failure of the government to address pressing questions of youth, farmers, women, poor and marginalised has exposed the hypocrisy of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre,” the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation said in a statement.
Not satisfied with the minister’s reply, Karakat MP and the party’s floor leader in the Lower House Raja Ram Singh and Arrah MP Sudama Prasad staged a walkout. (PTI)