Bengaluru, March 24: Lashing out at the BJP for twisting his statement on Constitution, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar today said that he would take legal action against those carrying out a disinformation campaign against him.
“I have never said we would change the Constitution. The BJP is carrying out a propaganda. I will fight it legally,” he said while speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence.
Asked about BJP’s criticism about his statement to a private TV channel on changing the constitution to provide religion-based reservation for Muslims in the Constitution, he said, “BJP is twisting my statement. I have been in public life for 36 years and have basic common sense. But BJP is misleading people. My name is being dragged into BJP’s disinformation campaign.”
“All that I said was that there is precedence of changing the Constitution based on Court’s orders. I have never said we will change the Constitution. Congress is a national party which brought the Constitution in the first place. We understand the importance of the Constitution better than others. The Centre has failed the people in the recent Budget and hence it is trying to rake up other issues. It is part of BJP’s continued political conspiracy,” he said.
Asked about Amit Malviya’s post on X platform, he said, “He is misleading the nation. BJP has always tried to take the country down the wrong path. Let them show proof of me saying the Constitution needs to be changed. This is cheap politics from the BJP. They don’t get sleep if they don’t take the name of Sonia Gandhi, her family and Congress party. BJP is an expert in falsifying information and carrying out propaganda campaigns.”
When pointed out to AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge’s statement that he would not allow change of Constitution, he said, “Ours is a party which gave the Constitution to the country. It is our duty to uphold it. It is BJP’s conspiracy to cover up its own weaknesses.”
Asked under what criteria a 4% reservation was given to Muslims, he said, “The reservation has been given on the basis of a report from the Backward Classes Commission. The issue is in the Court in Maharashtra, Haryana and a few other states. Some changes have been allowed basis the Court orders in different states.”
Asked about Sambit Patra’s statement that changing the Constitution was always the thinking of the Congress party and Gandhi family, he said, “He won’t get sleep if he doesn’t take Gandhi family’s name. This is purely a conspiracy against the Congress party.”
“I would take legal action against those who are twisting my statements. It would be difficult to do so if these statements are made within the House, but will surely pursue if they are made outside the Parliament,” he added.
Asked if the media has twisted his statement, he said, “There is nothing wrong with the media reporting. BJP has twisted my statements and it is unnecessarily dragging my name into this.”
