Raipur, Nov 13 Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Opposition parties of undermining the Constitution and asserted that “nobody, however powerful, can change it”.
Talking to reporters here, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment also said the BJP-led NDA government is committed to protecting the Constitution and ensuring social justice.
“Some people allege BJP and the NDA are against tribal communities. I want to tell them Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government demonstrated their commitment by appointing Droupadi Murmu, who belongs to a tribal community, as the President of India. Before her, Ram Nath Kovind, from the Scheduled Caste community, was also elected President,” he said.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai is a prominent tribal leader, Athawale said.
“Those who accuse us of being against Dalits and tribals should understand that we are against neither any community nor any caste or religion. PM Modi’s slogan is ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. He has also said 140 crore people of the country are members of his family. Therefore, there is no question of discrimination over caste or religion,” Athawale asserted.
Athawale said Rahul Gandhi and Opposition parties are trying to tear apart the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar.
“But they accuse us of wanting to change it. We have no intention of changing the Constitution. Nobody, however powerful, can change it,” he said.
Speaking on the “regime change” controversy, the Union minister said governments can be changed only through the electoral process, not through agitations.
Several states have Congress governments, but the BJP never alleges that they came to power through vote theft, he added.
The NDA government has been working to ensure justice for youth, farmers, women and other sections of society, and aims to make India a developed nation by 2047. Through the MSME sector, the government is also making efforts to generate employment opportunities, Athawale said.
On the NEET paper leak issue, Athawale said the Union government has enacted a stringent law to deal with examination irregularities.
He also sought a probe into the formation of the Cockroach Janta Party, which was at the forefront of the agitation against the NEET exam paper leak.
Abhijeet Dipke was based in the United States when the CJP was formed, he said, adding that the outfit originated in the USA and then held protests in India demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister.
He also referred to remarks by an American singer claiming that some people in the US were opposed to Modi and supporting Dipke.
The Modi government is strong and the NDA will return to power in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, Athawale said.
(PTI News)
