On Constitution Change, Reservation, Rahul Gandhi Takes On Amit Shah

Congress's Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP and Union home minster Amit Shah today on the issue of constitution change and reservations at a rally in Bhind. "BJP leaders have said it clearly, Amit Shah had said, their big leaders had said that if they win elections they'll change the Constitution, dismiss it," Mr Gandhi said.

The constitution, he added, is the "soul of the poor people of India". "No one can touch it, there's no power in the world who can change it. These BJP people are dreaming," he added.

"Babasaheb, along with Congress and the people fought the British and made this constitution, the voice of the people, we built it. We'll never let it erase, the farmers and the labourers will never let it happen." he added.

The Congress and the rest of the Opposition parties have been accusing the BJP of planning to change the Indian constitution once they are back with a 370-plus majority.

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have denied it.

Last week, PM Modi had said even if Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the constitution,  himself turned up and told him to change the Constitution and end reservations, it will not happen. His call for over 400 seats for NDA was meant to "destroy the conspiracies of the Congress and INDIA bloc," he said.

Mr Shah has accused the Congress of "spreading lies" about the Constitution. In an exclusive interview to NDTV yesterday, he said the BJP has absolute majority even now, but it has been used to remove Article 370, abolish triple talaq. "No one can end reservation, or harm the Constitution," he had added.

Today, Mr Gandhi also attacked the BJP on the issue of reservations -- a sensitive topic in the country and especially in Madhya Pradesh where a chunk of the population are tribals.

"Now they are saying that they are not against reservation? Then why are you privatising the public sector, railways? Why did you bring Agniveer?" he said.

The BJP claims the allegations on reservation and Constitution change are the Opposition's way of digressing from their plans.

Acusing the Congress of betraying Scheduled castes and tribes and Other Backward Castes,  PM Modi had said this was the reason these communities have "distanced themselves from the Congress and the INDIA bloc"

"This has forced leaders of the Congress and INDIA bloc to spread lies. They are telling the people that BJP will change the Constitution and end reservations," he said yesterday at a rally in Maharashtra's Solapur.