Shivakumar's remarks reveal Cong's hidden agenda of changing Constitution to appease Muslims: BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday alleged that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s latest remarks on Muslim quota have brought to light the Congress' "hidden agenda" of changing the Constitution to provide reservation to the minority community for their votes.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

This came after Shivakumar at a media event on Sunday purportedly suggested that a "good day" may come when the Constitution may be changed to accommodate quota for Muslims. However, the Congress leader on Monday claimed that he had been misquoted and asserted that he "never said that we will change the Constitution".

As a row erupted over his purported remarks with the BJP raising the issue in Parliament, the Karnataka deputy chief minister clarified in a post on X that he has never stated that the Constitution will be amended in any manner to give religion-based reservation.

He accused the BJP's leaders and ministers, both in Karnataka and at the Centre, of resorting to "brazen and blatant" lies to malign the Congress and him "by falsely attributing statements" to him.

At the press conference, Ravi Shankar Prasad read out the remarks made by Shivakumar and said, “Truth has the very uncanny habit of appearing and reappearing.” "It’s Congress' hidden agenda that it will change the Constitution for votes," he alleged, terming Shivakumar’s remarks as “the beginning”.

“Mr Rahul Gandhi, will you speak up? Will you make a comment on the comments made by your Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar? Will you clarify that the Congress will not change the Constitution for appeasement (of Muslims),” Prasad asked.

“Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution when religion-based reservation is not permissible under it,” he said.

The senior BJP leader also slammed the Congress over the Karnataka government’s recent move to provide four per cent reservation to Muslims in public contracts and the announcement of a host of budgetary proposals for the welfare of the minority community in the state. He asked how far the party will go to pursue its “Muslim vote bank politics”.

Shivakumar’s remarks and the Karnataka government’s “illegal and unconstitutional” move to provide 4 per cent reservation to Muslims in public contracts in the state are the Congress’ efforts to take away the rights of the members of the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the BJP leader alleged.

“The BJP vehemently condemns it,” he said.

Prasad also disapproved of discussions on the issue of giving the Dalit status to a section of Muslims and Christians, saying any such move would take away the rights of Hindus who come under the Scheduled Caste category.

“What is 'Dalit Muslims', 'Dalit Christians'? It is repeatedly discussed in Karnataka,” he said.

The Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950 provides that it shall be applicable to Hindus only, not Muslims, he said.

Sikhs and Buddhists have been added to the list later as the two communities come under a larger “Hindu framework under the Constitution”, he said.

“The BJP shall vehemently oppose any overt or covert attempt to encroach upon reservation rights of the members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,” the former Union minister said.

Prasad said efforts should be made for the progress of Muslims who are poor and the Narendra Modi government has been taking measures in this direction with the "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Prayas" mantra.

“Aren’t roads and electricity reaching Muslim villages? It’s reaching everywhere, whether they vote for us or not,” he said.

The former Union minister lashed out at the Congress, accusing it of running a “misleading campaign” for the past few years to spread a “complete falsehood” that the BJP will change the Constitution.

“This was the only theme (of the Congress’ campaign) during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections… We kept repeatedly saying that we would not change the Constitution. And we did not change it,” he said.

“Yes we changed it to give 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections,” he said.

A larger question is emerging today as to where the Congress and other opposition parties will take the country in their “quest for vote bank politics and appeasement politics for the sake of Muslim votes”, Prasad said.